scissor

USSIZ-ur/ˈsɪzɚ/UKSIZ-uh/ˈsɪzə/

Verbscissors, scissoring, scissored

Noun pluralscissors

10 meanings of scissor

Practice

1
verbtransitive
To cut something using scissors, or in a way like scissors do.
Like snipping a string with two blades pressing together.
She scissored the ribbon into two pieces.
Please scissor the paper along the line.
Similarcut, snip, clip, trim
Note
2
noun
Used before another word to name something that moves or works like scissors.
Like naming a move after the way two blades open and close.
The striker scored with a brilliant scissor kick.
A scissor jack lifts the car so you can change the tire.
Note
3
nounbefore a noun
Attributive form of scissors. Use this form before another noun.
The scissor blades were too dull to cut paper.
She fixed the loose scissor handle with glue.
Note
4
verbtransitive or intransitive
To move something the way scissors open and close, especially your legs.
Like opening and closing two blades again and again.
The swimmer scissored her legs to push through the water.
His legs scissor quickly as he sprints.
Similarcrisscross, swing
Note
5
verbintransitive
To take part in a sexual act where two women rub their vulvas together while crossing their legs.
Two partners can scissor to stimulate each other.
They scissored for several minutes.
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6
nounIndiacountable
A tool with two blades that cut paper, cloth, and other thin things.
Like a small machine where two sharp blades meet to snip things.
Hand me that scissor on the table.
She picked up a scissor to open the package.
Similarshears
Note
7
verbtransitive
To cut or remove a part from a piece of writing.
Like snipping a sentence out of a page.
The editor scissored two paragraphs from the final draft.
They scissor any offensive lines before printing.
Similarcut, delete, excise, remove, strike
Oppositeinsert, add
Note
8
verbintransitive
To skate with one foot kept well ahead of the other.
Like walking with one foot always a step ahead.
She scissored along the rink, one skate leading the other.
Beginners often scissor to keep their balance on the ice.
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Less common meanings

9
nounrarecountable
One of the two blades that make up a pair of scissors.
Like one blade of a pair: it needs its partner to cut.
One scissor had snapped off at the pivot.
He sharpened each scissor before reassembling the tool.
Similarblade
Note
10
verbobsoletetransitive
To copy a piece of writing by taking it from another source.
Like clipping a story out of one newspaper to paste into another.
The young editor scissored the report from a rival paper.
Printers would scissor articles straight into their own columns.
Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from an old French and Latin word meaning 'to cut.' The spelling later changed because of the Latin word for 'to split.'