Definitions for knifenaɪf; naɪvz

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

knifenaɪf; naɪvz(n.; v.)(pl.)knives; knifed, knif•ing.

(n.)an instrument for cutting, consisting of a sharp-edged metal blade fitted with a handle.
a knifelike weapon; dagger or short sword.
any blade for cutting, as in a tool or machine.
(v.t.)to apply a knife to; cut, stab, etc., with a knife.
to attempt to defeat or undermine in a secret or underhanded way.
(v.i.)to move or cleave through something with or as if with a knife:
The ship knifed through the sea.

Idioms for knife:

under the knife,undergoing surgery.
Category: Idiom

Origin of knife:

bef. 1100; ME knif, OE cnīf, or < ON knīfr, c. OFris, MLG knīf

knif′er(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

knife(noun)
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
knife(noun)
a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point
tongue, knife(verb)
any long thin projection that is transient
"tongues of flame licked at the walls"; "rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark"
knife, stab(verb)
use a knife on
"The victim was knifed to death"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

knife(noun)ɪf
a tool for cutting, with a sharp blade and handle
knives, forks and spoons; arrested for carrying a knife

Wiktionary

knife(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.
knife(Noun)
A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing and/or stabbing and too short to be called a sword. A dagger.
knife(Noun)
Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as the knives for a chipper.
knife(Verb)
To cut with a knife.
knife(Verb)
To use a knife to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the knife as a weapon.
knife(Verb)
To cut through as if with a knife.
knife(Verb)
To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.
knife(Verb)
To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate. compare cut

Origin: knif, from late cnif, from Old Norse knífr (compare Danish/Swedish kniv), from knībaz (compare Low German Knief, Knäip ‘penknife’), from ‘to pinch’ (compare Dutch knijpen, Low German kniepen, Old High German gniffen), from gneibʰ- (compare Lithuanian gnýbti, žnýbti ‘to pinch’, gnaibis ‘pinching’). Replaced Middle English sexe.

Webster Dictionary

Knife(noun)
an instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife, drawing knife, putty knife, pallet knife, pocketknife, penknife, chopping knife, etc.
Knife(noun)
a sword or dagger
Knife(verb)
to prune with the knife
Knife(verb)
to cut or stab with a knife