Carbine

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Carbine \Car"bine\, n. [F. carbine, OF. calabrin carabineer (cf.
     Ot. calabrina a policeman), fr. OF & Pr. calabre, OF. cable,
     chable, an engine of war used in besieging, fr. LL.
     chadabula, cabulus, a kind of projectile machine, fr. Gr. ? a
     throwing down, fr. ? to throw; ? down + ? to throw. Cf.
     {Parable}.] (Mil.)


     A short, light musket or rifle, esp. one used by mounted
     soldiers or cavalry.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  carbine
       n : light automatic rifle