cocking
Pulling the hammer
Cocking is the present participle of cock, meaning tilting or preparing: He kept cocking his head like a confused dog.
She was cocking the hammer when the door burst open.
Tool for striking nails
- triggerWhat initiates action
- pistolCompact one-handed firearm
- revolverPistol with rotating chamber
- rifleLong-barreled shoulder weapon
shotgun · bolt · action · chamber · loading · cartridge · ammunition · magazine
Recreational hook-and-line pursuit
- incliningSloping or disposed toward
- slantingAngled from vertical
- tiltingInclined from vertical
- pivotingRotating around fixed point
tipping · canting · raising · positioning · turning · swiveling · askew · jaunty
Attending to sound
- perkingBecoming more cheerful
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
- head tiltAngled cranial posture
Notable places to visit
- crosshairsIntersecting sighting lines
- scopeExtent or range
- reticleOptical sighting pattern
- targetObject of pursuit
alignment · zeroing · elevation · windage · precision · marksmanship · accuracy · trajectory
hammer
Tool for striking nails
rifle · shotgun · bolt · action · chamber · loading · cartridge · ammunition · magazine · round
angling
Recreational hook-and-line pursuit
pivoting · tipping · canting · raising · positioning · turning · swiveling · askew · jaunty · rakish
listening
Attending to sound
- perkingBecoming more cheerful
- alertnessActive mental awareness
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
head tilt · hearing · pricking · raising · curiosity · hound · spaniel
sights
Notable places to visit
- crosshairsIntersecting sighting lines
- scopeExtent or range
- reticleOptical sighting pattern
target · alignment · zeroing · elevation · windage · precision · marksmanship · accuracy · trajectory · bullseye
haystack
Piled dried grass
- crossbowsarbalest, bolt, bolts, bowstring, crossbow bolt
- firearmsrifle, pistol, handgun, shotgun, revolver
- marksmanshipmarksmanship, dry firing, accuracy, aim, target practice
- Shotgunspump action, double barrel, over-under, side-by-side, semi-auto
cockinguncocking
Lowering a firearm's hammer
releasing · disarming · relaxing · standing down · unloading
cockingflattening
Reducing to evenness
lowering · drooping · laying back · pinning back · relaxing
- cold cockingSudden unexpected blow
- cocking upBritish slang for failing