knife

UK /naɪf/ US /naɪf/

verb 5noun 3

Definitions

noun

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.

He was looking for a knife to chop some steak.

Jeff was bent low over the backboard, working with the knife, a steady sawing motion, his shirt soaked through with sweat.

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

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.

She was repeatedly knifed in the chest.

One day his sergeant began to cane him, on which, seizing his knife, he knifed the sergeant : he knifed the privates : he knifed until he was finally overpowered, and, brought before a court-martial, was condemned to fifteen years at the galleys.

To cut through as if with a knife.

The boat knifed through the water.

To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.

To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate; compare cut.

Collocations

(noun.) tool for cutting

ADJ

blunt, sharp

long

bone, bone-handled, silver, steel

bread, butcher's, carving, craft, fish, flick, hunting, kitchen, palette, pocket, sheath, Stanley(R), surgeon's, table

QUANT

set

My grandmother gave me a beautiful set of knives for my new apartment.

VERB + KNIFE

pick up

At dinner, he picked up his knife to cut the meat into smaller pieces.

lay down, put down

use

You should use a sharp knife when preparing vegetables for dinner.

sharpen

hold

KNIFE + VERB

cut

The old kitchen knife cuts through the bread easily now that it's been sharpened.

clatter

KNIFE + NOUN

blade, handle

PREP

with a/the ~

She spread butter on the bread with a sharp knife.

PHRASES

the blade of a knife, the handle of a knife, a knife and fork

(noun.) used as a weapon

ADJ

long, sharp

VERB + KNIFE

be armed with, carry, have

The security guard was armed with a knife and a radio.

brandish, wield

draw (out), produce, pull (out), take out

When the argument got heated, he drew a knife from his jacket pocket.

come at sb with, stab sb with, threaten sb with

The angry man came at the police officer with a kitchen knife.

plunge, push, put, stick

She stuck the knife into the roasted chicken to check if it was cooked through.

sharpen, whet

KNIFE + VERB

cut

clatter

The kitchen knife clattered across the counter when she dropped it while cooking dinner.

KNIFE + NOUN

attack

The victim suffered serious injuries during a knife attack outside the train station last night.

wound

blade

PREP

with a/the ~

PHRASES

the blade of a knife, the hilt of a knife, hold a knife against/at/to sb's throat, a knife in sb's heart

When the betrayal was revealed, she felt as though a knife was twisting in her heart.

put a knife to sb's throat

The robber put a knife to the shopkeeper's throat and demanded all the money from the register.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — any long thin projection that is transient

tongue

verb — use a knife on

stab

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

catch a falling knife

To buy a financial instrument whose price is falling rapidly.

Buying that stock now would be catching a falling knife. Wait until you see capitulation.

bring a knife to a gunfight

To enter into a confrontation or other challenging situation without being adequately equipped or prepared.

Isn't that just like a wop? Brings a knife to a gun fight.

stick the knife in

To say or do something deliberately and unnecessarily malicious.

Bengali speaks with courtly floweriness even when sticking the knife in, and Thompson's well-meaning British bluntness was not appreciated.

Example Bank

He was looking for a knife to chop some steak.

Wiktionary

Jeff was bent low over the backboard, working with the knife, a steady sawing motion, his shirt soaked through with sweat.

Wiktionary

She was repeatedly knifed in the chest.

Wiktionary

One day his sergeant began to cane him, on which, seizing his knife, he knifed the sergeant : he knifed the privates : he knifed until he was finally overpowered, and, brought before a court-martial,

Wiktionary

The plane has been hijacked. They've already knifed a guy.

Wiktionary

This knife was very useful to me.

Tatoeba · #2415

Usage Notes

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