knife

Meanings

Plural: knives

Noun

edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point
any long thin projection that is transient
A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge, attached to a handle. The blade may be pointed for piercing.
A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing or stabbing but too short to be called a sword; a dagger.
Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as that of a chipper.

Verb

use a knife on
- "The victim was knifed to death"
To cut with a knife.
To use a knife to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the knife as a weapon.
To cut through as if with a knife.
To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.
To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate; compare cut.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English knyf, knif, from late Old English cnīf, from Old Norse knífr, from Proto-Germanic *knībaz, from *knīpaną (“to pinch”), Proto-Indo-European *gneybʰ- (compare Lithuanian gnýbti, žnýbti (“to pinch”), gnaibis (“pinching”)). Displaced native Middle English sax (“knife”) from Old English seax; and Middle English coutel, qwetyll (“knife”) from Old French coutel.
The verb knife is attested since the 1860s; the variant knive is attested since 1733.

Synonyms

stab, tongue

Scrabble Score: 12

knife is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
knife is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
knife is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

knife is a valid Words With Friends word