cane

it-noun

cane m (plural cani, feminine cagna, diminutive canìno m or canìna f or cagnétto m or cagnétta f or cagnettìno m or cagnettìna f, augmentative cagnóne, pejorative cagnàccio, endearing cagnolìno)

cani (plural)
cagna (feminine)
canìno (diminutive masculine)
canìna (diminutive feminine)
cagnétto (diminutive masculine)
cagnétta (diminutive feminine)
cagnettìno (diminutive masculine)
cagnettìna (diminutive feminine)
cagnóne (augmentative)
cagnàccio (pejorative)
cagnolìno (endearing)

From the Latin canis, canem (“dog”). Cognate with Sicilian cani.


anima

From Latin anima, from animus, from Proto-Italic *anamos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁mos, a nominal derivative of *h₂enh₁- (“breathe”). Doublet of alma.

(firearms) the inner cavity created by the chamber and the barrel


lanciarazzi

Verb-object compound, composed of lancia (“to throw; to launch”) + razzi (“rockets”).


palla

From Medieval Latin balla, palla, bala, from Frankish *ballu, from Proto-Germanic *balluz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoln- (“bubble”), from *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”).
Alternatively, via Lombardic *palla, from Proto-Germanic *ballô, from the same ultimate origin. Compare Sicilian baḍḍa.


pistola

Borrowed from French pistole, from Czech píšťala (“firearm”, literally “tube, pipe”).


asta

(firearms) forearm (part of a firearm below and supporting the barrel)


doppietta

double-barrelled shotgun
double-barrelled shotgun


rosata

(firearms) the spatial configuration of shot launched by firing a smooth-barreled hunting rifle


piastra

From the verb impiastrare (“to plaster”).

(historical, weaponry) the firing mechanism in antique firearms


fucilata

(firearms) gunshot, especially from a rifle


fucile

From Vulgar Latin *focīlis [petra], derived from Latin focus. Compare French fusil, Friulian fusîl, Piedmontese fusil.


daga

From earlier *daca, possibly via a Celtic source from Vulgar Latin *daca, used to refer to knives from the Roman province of Dacia.

(weaponry) a stabbing weapon, similar to a sword but with a short, double-edged blade


cannone

→ German: Kanone

From cann(a) (“cane, tube, pipe”) + -one (augmentative suffix).


pallottola

pallottola vagante


bacchetta

bacchette (plural)
bachetta (alternative archaic)

→ Catalan: baqueta

→ French: baguette

→ Portuguese: baqueta, vaqueta

→ Spanish: baqueta

From Vulgar Latin *baclitta, a diminutive from Latin baculum.

(firearms) ramrod, gun-stick, rod for stuffing the muzzleloader with ammunition


raffica

Perhaps derived from Old High German raffōn (modern German raffen). Related to French rafale, Portuguese rafega, and Spanish ráfaga.


lanciamissili

Verb-object compound, composed of lancia (“to throw; to launch”) + missili (“missiles”).


schioppo

it-noun

schioppo m (plural schioppi, diminutive schioppétto or schioppettìno, derogatory (rare) schioppùccio)

schioppi (plural)
schioppétto (diminutive)
schioppettìno (diminutive)
schioppùccio (derogatory rare)

See scoppio (“explosion”), of onomatopoeic origin. Alternatively from Latin stloppus (“sound of a slap”).


bascula

(firearms) bascule (steel block on which the barrels are hinged) (in a hunting rifle)


cazza

cazza f (plural cazze, diminutive cazzuòla or cazzòla)

cazze (plural)
cazzuòla (diminutive)
cazzòla (diminutive)

From Late Latin cattia, perhaps from Ancient Greek κύαθος (kúathos, “ladle”).

(firearms) large trowel used for pulling gunpowder towards the bottom of cannons


lanciabombe

Verb-object compound, composed of lancia (“to throw; to launch”) + bombe (“bombs”).


gatto a nove code

it-noun

gatto a nove code m (plural gatti a nove code)


smeriglio

(firearms) springald (fitted on galleys-long ship propelled primarily by oars)


tirapugni

Verb-object compound, composed of tira (“to throw”) + pugni (“fists, punches”).

it-verb-obj

(weaponry) brass knuckles, knuckle duster


roncola

From ronc(a) (“billhook”) + -ola (diminutive suffix).

suffix

(agriculture) an agricultural implement often with a curved or hooked end to the blade used for pruning or cutting thick, woody plants

(weaponry) a medieval polearm with a similar construct, fitted to a long handle, sometimes with an L-shaped tine or a spike protruding from the side or the end of the blade for tackling the opponent; a bill


alabarda

alabarde (plural)
labarda (alternative archaic)

→ Old French: alabarde

Middle French: hallebarde

French: hallebarde

→ English: halberd

From Middle High German halmbarte (“broad-axe with handle”), from halm << Proto-Germanic *helmô (“handle”) + barte (“hatchet”) << *bardaz (“broadax”, literally “beard”).


pugno di ferro

it-noun

pugno di ferro m (plural pugni di ferro)


coccia

Inherited from Latin cochlea (“a snail”), but in this case more in reference to its shell.

(nautical) thimble (metal protection for ropes)


codolo

(firearms) tang (projecting part of a musket barrel)


mazzafrusto

From mazza (“club, mace”) + frusto (“whip”).

Orlando urta il cavallo e batte e stringe,
e con un mazzafrusto all’acqua spinge.

1516–1532, Ludovico Ariosto, “Canto 30”, in Orlando furioso, stanza 11; republished as Santorre Debenedetti, editor, Bari: Laterza, 1928:

Orlando spurs and prods and impels the horse, and drives it towards the water with a flail.

L, l'arsenale / M, medievale / N, (è Natale) e un mazzafrusto io avrò

2019, “Ninna nanna del feudo [Fiefdom lullaby]”, in Valerio Storch (lyrics), Valerio Storch and Maurizio Cardullo (music), Vol. I [Vol[ume] 1], performed by Bardomagno:

L, the arsenal / M, medieval / N, (it's Christmas) and I'm getting a flail


spingarda

spingarde (plural)
sbingarda (alternative obsolete)
spinguarda (alternative obsolete)

→ Portuguese: espingarda (“rifle”)

Semi-learned borrowing from Old French espringale, itself derived from Frankish *springan. Cognate with German springen (“to jump”).

slbor

Bombarde, spingarde e aitre orribile cose da pericolare lo castiello e·lli avitatori.

1350s, anonymous author, “Della sconfitta de Francia, là dove morze lo re de Boemia e·llo re de Francia fu sconfitto dallo re de Egnilterra. [About the defeat of France, there where the king of Bohemia died, and the king of France was defeated by the king of England]” (chapter 14), in Cronica [Chronicle] (overall work in Old Italian); republished as Giuseppe Porta, editor, Anonimo romano - Cronica, Adelphi, 1979, →ISBN:

Bombards, springalds, and other horrible things to endanger the castle and its inhabitants.

[…] ma i beccaccini si vengono educando alla malizia, e in quel mezzo minuto che lo sparo s’incanta, mi scappano un mezzo miglio lontano. Verrà tempo che si dovrà correr lor dietro colla spingarda.

1867, Ippolito Nievo, chapter IV (chapter 4), in Le confessioni di un ottuagenario [Confessions of an octogenarian], Florence: Le Monnier, page 169:

[…] the snipes are growing wary of the trick, and, in that half-minute when the shot is stuck, they flee half a mile away. The time will come when you'll have to run after them with a punt gun.


arma bianca

Literally, “white weapon”. Compare French arme blanche.

Coordinate term: arma da fuoco

(weaponry) a cold weapon that causes damage by striking with a tip, a blade, or blunt force


mazza ferrata

From mazza (“mace”) + ferrata (“iron”, “made of iron”).


scarrellare

it-verb

scarrellàre (first-person singular present scarrèllo, first-person singular past historic scarrellài, past participle scarrellàto, auxiliary avére)

scarrellàre (canonical)
scarrèllo (first-person present singular)
scarrellài (first-person historic past singular)
scarrellàto (participle past)
avére (auxiliary)
scarrellàre (infinitive)
avére (auxiliary)
scarrellàndo (gerund)
scarrellànte (participle present)
scarrellàto (participle past)
scarrèllo (first-person indicative present singular)
scarrèlli (indicative present second-person singular)
scarrèlla (indicative present singular third-person)
scarrelliàmo (first-person indicative plural present)
scarrellàte (indicative plural present second-person)
scarrèllano (indicative plural present third-person)
scarrellàvo (first-person imperfect indicative singular)
scarrellàvi (imperfect indicative second-person singular)
scarrellàva (imperfect indicative singular third-person)
scarrellavàmo (first-person imperfect indicative plural)
scarrellavàte (imperfect indicative plural second-person)
scarrellàvano (imperfect indicative plural third-person)
scarrellài (first-person historic indicative past singular)
scarrellàsti (historic indicative past second-person singular)
scarrellò (historic indicative past singular third-person)
scarrellàmmo (first-person historic indicative past plural)
scarrellàste (historic indicative past plural second-person)
scarrellàrono (historic indicative past plural third-person)
scarrellerò (first-person future indicative singular)
scarrellerài (future indicative second-person singular)
scarrellerà (future indicative singular third-person)
scarrellerémo (first-person future indicative plural)
scarrelleréte (future indicative plural second-person)
scarrellerànno (future indicative plural third-person)
scarrellerèi (conditional first-person singular)
scarrellerésti (conditional second-person singular)
scarrellerèbbe (conditional singular third-person)
scarrellerébbe (conditional singular third-person)
scarrellerémmo (conditional first-person plural)
scarrelleréste (conditional plural second-person)
scarrellerèbbero (conditional plural third-person)
scarrellerébbero (conditional plural third-person)
scarrèlli (first-person present singular subjunctive)
scarrèlli (present second-person singular subjunctive)
scarrèlli (present singular subjunctive third-person)
scarrelliàmo (first-person plural present subjunctive)
scarrelliàte (plural present second-person subjunctive)
scarrèllino (plural present subjunctive third-person)
scarrellàssi (first-person imperfect singular subjunctive)
scarrellàssi (imperfect second-person singular subjunctive)
scarrellàsse (imperfect singular subjunctive third-person)
scarrellàssimo (first-person imperfect plural subjunctive)
scarrellàste (imperfect plural second-person subjunctive)
scarrellàssero (imperfect plural subjunctive third-person)
scarrèlla (imperative second-person singular)
scarrèlli (formal imperative second-person-semantically singular third-person)
scarrelliàmo (first-person imperative plural)
scarrellàte (imperative plural second-person)
scarrèllino (formal imperative plural second-person-semantically third-person)
scarrellàre (imperative negative second-person singular)
scarrèlli (formal imperative negative second-person-semantically singular third-person)
scarrelliàmo (first-person imperative negative plural)
scarrellàte (imperative negative plural second-person)
scarrèllino (formal imperative negative plural second-person-semantically third-person)

(firearms) to retract the slide of a firearm to allow the first cartridge to enter the chamber and to cock the firing pin


mazza chiodata

it-noun

mazza chiodata f (plural mazze chiodate)

From mazza (“mace”) + chiodata (“nailed”, “spiked”).


giusarma

giusarme (plural)
gisarma (alternative)
guisarma (alternative)

From Old French guisarme, gisarme, jusarme.

[…] le giusarme dei mercenarî al soldo dei baroni e le corsesche friulane che armarono le ultime masnade dei patriarchi e dei conti di Gorizia.

1892, Giuseppe Caprin, Pianure friulane [Friulian Plains], Trieste: Giuseppe Caprin, published 1892, Cormons, page 326:

[…] the gisarmes of mercenaries hired by barons, and the Friulian corseques that served as weapons for the last gangs of Gorizia's patriarchs and counts.


fucile di precisione

fucile di precisione m (plural fucili di precisione)

Literally, “accuracy rifle”. Compare French fusil de précision, Portuguese fuzil de precisão.


fucile a canne mozze

fucile a canne mozze m (plural fucili a canne mozze)


fucile a pompa

fucile a pompa m (plural fucili a pompa)


fucile d'assalto

fucile d'assalto m (plural fucili d'assalto)


francesca

francesche (plural)
francisca (alternative literary)

From Medieval Latin Francisca [secūris] (“French [axe]”).

der

(weaponry, historical) francisca (throwing axe)


arma in asta

it-noun

arma in asta f (plural armi in asta or (uncommon) armi in aste or (archaic) arme in aste)

armi in asta (plural)
armi in aste (plural uncommon)
arme in aste (archaic plural)

[…] combattere nelle fronti e negli ordini con le armi in asta è inutile, eccetto che nella prima fronte

1521, “Libro secondo [Second book]”, in L'arte della guerra [The art of war]; republished in Opere di Niccolò Machiavelli, volume 5, 1826, page 43:

fighting with polearms within lines and formations is pointless, except on the first line

Nell’altra facciata, che guardaua la città, le quattro ſue baſi haueuano quatt’altri capricci, ed erano, il primo un faſcio di trombe, di lance, e d’arme in aﬆe auuolte di lauro col motto, Sint omnia lęta […]

1591 [1548], Tommaso Costo, “Annotazioni e supplimenti”, in Del compendio dell’istoria del Regno di Napoli con la giunta per tutto l’anno MDLXXXVI, Venice: Barezzo Barezzi, expansion of Compendio delle historie del Regno di Napoli by Pandolfo Collenuccio, page 102.2:

On the other face overlooking the city its four bases had four more compositions: the first one was a bundle of trumpets, spears, and polearms wrapped in laurel, with the motto Sint omnia laeta

Arme ’n aﬅe vi ſon, picche, corſeſche / E partigiane aſſai, / […] / E mazze, e azze, e ſergentine, e dardi

1619, Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger, “Atto terzo della prima giornata”, in La fiera, Scena terza; republished in La fiera, commedia di Michelagnolo Buonarruoti il Giovane, e La tancia, commedia rusticale del medesimo, Florence: Stamperia di S. A. R., 1726, page 23:

There are polearms: pikes, corseques, and lots of partisans; […] and maces, and poleaxes, and sergeant's pikes, and darts

Καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον τύπτοντες ἀλλήλους τοῖς δόρασι, καὶ διὰ τὴν πυκνότητα τῶν πληγῶν τὰ πλεῖστα συντρίψαντες, εἰς τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς μαχαίρας ἀγῶνα κατήντησαν

1793 [1ˢᵗ century], “Epaminonda in soccorso dei Tegeati [Epaminondas rescues the Tegeates]” (chapter 24), in Storia universale [Universal history], volume 4, Gio. Desideri: Rome, translation of Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική (Bibliothḗkē Historikḗ, “Historical Library”) by Διόδωρος Σικελιώτης (Diódōros Sikeliṓtēs, “Diodorus Siculus”), page 276:

They came to blows using polearms; afterwards, since the polearms were largely broken due to the frequency and force of the blows, they clashed with swords and short-range weapons

Kaì tò mèn prôton túptontes allḗlous toîs dórasi, kaì dià tḕn puknótēta tôn plēgôn tà pleîsta suntrípsantes, eis tòn apò tês makhaíras agôna katḗntēsan

Arma in asta non molto lunga, e sottile, la quale aveva un ferro in cima fatto a foggia di mandorla, con due altri ricurvi in fuori e congiunti all’asta da una lama.

1863, “Corsesca [Corseque]”, in Dizionario militare, Turin: Tipografia V. Vercellino, page 134:

A thin, not very long polearm, which had an iron on the top, made in the shape of an almond, with two more [irons] curving outwards, and joined to the staff with a blade.


arma da botta

(weaponry) a melee weapon that strikes using blunt force


organo di Stalin

organo di Stalin m (plural organi di Stalin)

Calque of German Stalinorgel (literally “Stalin's organ”), after the sound of the rockets fired by the Soviets.


talpone

(weaponry) tool used to adjust the parallelism between the axis of the barrel and the line of sight


coprifiamma

Verb-object compound, composed of copri (“to cover”) + fiamma (“flame”).


potenza di fuoco

it-noun

potenza di fuoco f (plural potenze di fuoco)

La maggiore potenza di fuoco che Biden mette in campo per l'acquisto di pubblicità tv ed altre forme di propaganda elettorale, viene interpretata come un segnale positivo sulla mobilitazione della base democratica, malgrado l'assenza quasi totale di quei contatti "porta a porta" che un tempo erano essenziali per aumentare l'affluenza alle urne.

2020 October 16, Federico Rampini, “Le casse piene dei Dem. Così Biden trionfa nella raccolta di fondi [The Dems' full cash desks. This is how Biden triumphs in fundraising]”, in la Repubblica:

The greater firepower that Biden presents for the acquisition of TV ads and other forms of electoral propaganda, is interpreted as a positive signal of the mobilization of the Democratic base, despite the almost-total absence of those "door to door" contacts that were once essential to increase turnout at the ballot box.


sparare a zero

it-verb

sparàre a zero (first-person singular present spàro a zero, first-person singular past historic sparài a zero, past participle sparàto a zero, auxiliary avére)

sparàre a zero (canonical)
spàro a zero (first-person present singular)
sparài a zero (first-person historic past singular)
sparàto a zero (participle past)
avére (auxiliary)

(intransitive, firearms) to shoot point blank


linea del fuoco

it-noun

linea del fuoco f (plural linee del fuoco)

Avrei trascinato la mia famiglia, l'avrei esposta alla linea del fuoco.

2020, Barack Obama, translated by Chicca Galli, Paolo Lucca, and Giuseppe Maugeri, Una terra promessa [A Promised Land], Garzanti Libri:

Family got dragged along for the ride, put in the line of fire.

(idiomatic, also military, also weaponry) line of fire


spingitoio

(firearms) a cylinder-shaped device which moves cartridges into the chamber


percotitoio

(archaic, firearms) Synonym of percussore


cacciapalla

cacciapalli (plural)
cacciapalle (alternative)

Verb-object compound, composed of caccia (“to extract”) + palla (“bullet”).

it-verb-obj

(historical, firearms) a tool used to get a projectile out of a muzzleloader's barrel


battipalle

Verb-object compound, composed of batti (“to beat, to strike”) + palle (“bullets”).

(firearms, historical) the end of a ramrod (used to push the projectile down in a muzzleloader)


mazzagatti

Verb-object compound, composed of mazza (“to kill (archaic or southern Italy)”) + gatti (“cats”).

mazzare<t:to kill (archaic or southern Italy)>

(historical, firearms) a type of short-barreled pistol


arma inastata

it-noun

arma inastata f (plural armi inastate or (archaic) arme inastate)

armi inastate (plural)
arme inastate (archaic plural)

QVeﬅo ſie uno contraﬅo, che chi haueſſe la ſpada da due mano , e vn’altro haueſſe vn arma inaﬅata

1536, Achille Marozzo, “Esordio, o vero amaestramento de spada da due mane contra arme inastate [Preface (or Teachings on a two-handed sword against polearms)]”, Libro quarto, il qual tratta de l'arme inastate [Fourth book, which deals with polearms], in Opera nova chiamata Duello, overo Fiore dell’armi, de' singulari Abbatimenti offensivi, et diffensivi [New work titled Duel, or The best of weapons, of offensive and defensive singular takedowns], Modena, page 70:

This is a clash in which one has a two-handed sword, and the other has a polearm

dicendo queﬅo, accoﬅatoſegli, gli diede d’vna mano sù ’l volto, & in vn medeſimo tempo vſciti alcuni huomini dalla caſa d’eſſo Brianzo con armi inaﬅate, circondarono Papio

1603, Giovanni Battista Olevano, “Caso XII [Case 12]”, Libro secondo [Second book], in Trattato nel quale col mezzo di cinquanta casi vien posto in atto prattico il modo di ridurre a pace ogni sorte di privata inimicizia, nata per cagion d'onore [Treatise wherein, through fifty cases, the way is put into practice to lead to peace any sort of personal enmity born for matters of honour], Venice: Giacobo Antonio Somasco, page 49:

As he said this, he got closer to him, he slapped him in his face, and at the same time some men, having come out of the house of said Brianzo with polearms, surrounded Papio

Trieﬅe Città Imperiale,porta d’argento con due faſcie roſse, e ſopra il tutto vn ferro di Alebarda, ò arma inaﬅata in forma di Giglio nero.

1686, Cavalier de Beatiano, Il Mercurio araldico in Italia, Venice: Nicolò Pezzana, page 36:

Trieste, imperial city, shows a silver-coloured [coat of arms] with two red stripes, and over it all the head of a halberd, or a polearm, shaped like a black lily.

Allora il prete incomincia a menar l'arma inastata, tentando di ferire alcun degli avversari

1894, “Memorie sul comune e sull’antica chiesa abbaziale di Villanova [Memoirs on the comune and the old abbatial church of Villanova]”, in Archivio storico per la città e comuni del circondario di Lodi [Historical archive for the city and comuni of the district of Lodi], volume 13, number 1, Tipografia Quirico e Camagni, section IX, page 126:

Then the priest starts swinging the polearm, trying to wound some of the opponents