Slang term for a handgun or pistol, particularly in early 20th century American usage.
From the proper name Roscoe, likely derived from Old Norse 'rá' (roe deer) and 'skógr' (wood). The slang usage emerged in early 1900s America, possibly from the association with someone named Roscoe who was known for carrying firearms.
This word shows how proper names can transform into slang terms for objects - in this case, 'Roscoe' became gangster slang for a gun, immortalized in countless crime films and detective stories of the 1920s-40s.
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