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knife Definition

knife (nīf)

noun pl. knives

  1. a cutting or stabbing instrument with a sharp blade, single-edged or double-edged, set in a handle
  2. a cutting blade, as in a machine

Etymology: ME knif < OE cnif, akin to Ger kneif, ON knīfr < IE *gneibh- (> Lith gnaibis, a pinching): for base see knead

transitive verb knifed, knif′·ing

  1. to cut or stab with a knife
  2. ☆ Informal to use underhanded methods in order to hurt, defeat, or betray

intransitive verb

to pass into or through something quickly, like a sharp knife

knife Related Forms

knife′·like′ adjective

knife Idioms

under the knife

☆

Informal undergoing surgery

knife Synonyms

knife

n.

blade, cutter, sword, bayonet, cutting edge, dagger, stiletto, lance, lancet, bit, cutlass, machete, kris, whittle, poniard, scalpel, edge, dirk, sickle, scythe, sabre, scimitar, claymore, broadsword, bodkin, snickersnee, point, skiver, skewer, spit, guillotine, skean, misericord, pigsticker*, toad-stabber*, tickler*, shiv*; see also razor, sword.

Kinds of knives include: carving, chef's, paring, chopping, table, dinner, breakfast, dessert, grapefruit, fish, pocket, clasp, hunting, Bowie, corn, cane, butcher, skinning, surgical, paper, pruning, oyster, putty, palette, ferrule, bread, butter, cake, wood carver's, molding, paper hanger's, miter, excelsior, stiletto, jackknife, switchblade, Boy Scout, Swiss Army, Buck.

knife Synonyms

knife

v.

  1. To stab

    cut, slash, pierce, lance; see cut 2, hurt 1, stab.

  2. *To injure in an underhanded way

    trick, betray, give a coward's blow, strike below the belt; see betray 1, deceive.

knife Usage Examples

Possessives

butcher: What grand memories of chopping the huge lumps of coal with a butcher's knife.

Converse of object

  • carve: A carving knife, for example, is a piece of cutlery.
  • sharpen: Men were sharpening knives ( an action, somehow, which put me in mind of French housewives cutting bread ).
  • brandish: Brandishing a large knife, he demanded cash, then escaped on the pedal bike.
  • wield: At least four men wearing hooded tops and wielding a knife entered Ladbrokes on Banbury Road, Oxford, on Friday.
  • carry: I will ask him never to carry a knife.

Adjective modifier

  • sharp: Then with a sharp knife cut smaller squares off with the blade at an angle.
  • blunt: Finish chopping the onion, with a blunt knife.
  • bladed: For crispy crackling every time, score the rind well using a sharp, small bladed craft knife.
  • serrated: Pull the segments apart and slice each thinly with the serrated knife, putting the pips in the cloth.
  • Swiss: Its known as the programmer's swiss army knife.

Modifies a noun

  • amnesty: Figures out for the first week of the knife amnesty show a good result.
  • sharpener: Prolog: My leg is my sketchpad and my arm is a knife sharpener.
  • blade: As if every word wounded like a knife blade into her flesh.

Noun used with modifier

  • palette: Using the palette knife spread icing onto the sides.
  • stanley: Cut a small slit into each ball about 2cm long using a stanley knife or similar sharp blade.
  • gamma: Treatments were then discussed, the choice of surgery or gamma knife.
  • Bowie: Powell slashed him with his bowie knife before leaping onto Seward's bed and repeatedly stabbed him.
  • sheath: The safe usage of cutting tools including a sheath knife which you will keep.
  • flick: The band name was taken from the name of Williams ' flick knife!