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alexz commented on the word carry a piece
This is slang for 'carry a gun'
I remember old Humphrey Bogart and detective shows where they'd call carrying a gun, carrying a piece.
An 1889 Army Artillery manual refers to carrying a cannon as 'carrying a piece' http://goo.gl/euBTZ
A 1729 manual, refers to cannons as 'Field Pieces'. http://goo.gl/x5bSu
I'd guess that the 'carrying a cannon' reference turned into a 'carrying a big gun' slang term.
January 15, 2013