1. A short musket of wide bore and flaring muzzle, formerly used to scatter shot at close range. 2. A person regarded as clumsy and stupid.
ETYMOLOGY:
Alteration of Dutch donderbus : donder, thunder (from Middle Dutch doner; see (s)ten- in Appendix I) + bus, gun (from Middle Dutch busse, tube, from Latin buxis, box; see box1).