Ar"que*bus, Ar"que*buse [F. arquebuse, OF. harquebuse, fr. D. haak-bus; cf. G. hakenbuchse a gun with a hook. See Hagbut.]
A sort of hand gun or firearm a contrivance answering to a trigger, by which the burning match was applied. The musket was a later invention.
[Written also
harquebus.]
© Webster 1913.