knife

Pluralknives

Formsknifes, knifing, knifed

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A tool with a sharp metal blade and a handle, used for cutting things or as a weapon.

   She used a small knife to cut the apple into pieces.

   Put the knives and forks on the table before dinner.

   UsageTwo or more are knives (not incorrect: knifes).

   Similarblade

2. 2
   machine bladenouncountable

   A sharp blade that is part of a machine or tool and does the cutting.

   Like the small blade inside a pencil sharpener: a cutting part built into something bigger.

   The paper cutter has a long knife that slides down to cut the whole stack.

   Workers replace the knives in the wood chipper when they get dull.

   Similarblade, cutter

3. 3
   stabverbtransitive

   To hurt or kill someone by stabbing or cutting them with a knife.

   The robber tried to knife the clerk before running out of the store.

   Someone knifed him in the arm during a fight outside the bar.

   UsageOften was knifed in the arm. Stab is more common.

   Similarstab, slash

   Note

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