Definitions for knife
naɪf; naɪvzknife

Princeton's WordNet(2.60 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. knifenoun

   edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

2. knifenoun

   a weapon with a handle and blade with a sharp point

3. tongue, knifeverb

   any long thin projection that is transient

   "tongues of flame licked at the walls"; "rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark"

4. knife, stabverb

   use a knife on

   "The victim was knifed to death"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. knifenoun

   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.

   Etymology: 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.

2. knifenoun

   A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing and/or stabbing and too short to be called a sword. A dagger.

   Etymology: 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.

3. knifenoun

   Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as the knives for a chipper.

   Etymology: 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.

4. knifeverb

   To cut with a knife.

   Etymology: 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.

5. knifeverb

   To use a knife to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the knife as a weapon.

   Etymology: 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.

6. knifeverb

   To cut through as if with a knife.

   Etymology: 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.

7. knifeverb

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

   Etymology: 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.

8. knifeverb

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

   Etymology: 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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Knifenoun

   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.

   Etymology: [OE. knif, AS. cnf; akin to D. knijf, Icel. knfr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv.]

2. Knifenoun

   a sword or dagger

   Etymology: [OE. knif, AS. cnf; akin to D. knijf, Icel. knfr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv.]

3. Knifeverb

   to prune with the knife

   Etymology: [OE. knif, AS. cnf; akin to D. knijf, Icel. knfr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv.]

4. Knifeverb

   to cut or stab with a knife

   Etymology: [OE. knif, AS. cnf; akin to D. knijf, Icel. knfr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Knife

   A knife is a cutting tool with a cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knife-like tools were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools. Originally made of rock, bone, flint, and obsidian, knives have evolved in construction as technology has, with blades being made from bronze, copper, iron, steel, ceramics, and titanium. Many cultures have their unique version of the knife. Due to its role as humankind's first tool, certain cultures have attached spiritual and religious significance to the knife. Most modern-day knives follow either a fixed-blade or a folding construction style, with blade patterns and styles as varied as their makers and countries of origin.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Knife

   nīf, n. an instrument for cutting: a sword or dagger:—pl. Knives (nīvz).—v.t. to stab with a knife: (Amer.) to try to destroy a political candidate's chances by a treacherous attack.—ns. Knife′-and-fork′, a trencherman; Knife′-board, a board on which knives are cleaned: (coll.) the seat running along the top of an omnibus; Knife′-boy, a boy employed in cleaning knives; Knife′-edge (mech.), a sharp piece of steel like a knife's edge serving as the axis of a balance, &c.; Knife′-grind′er, one who grinds or sharpens knives; Knife′-mon′ey, a knife-shaped bronze currency formerly used in China; Knife′-rest, a glass or metal utensil on which to rest a carving-knife or fork; Knife′-tray, a tray for holding knives.—War to the knife, mortal combat. [A.S. cníf: Ger. kneif, knife, kneifen, to nip.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. knife

   An old name for a dagger: thus Lady Macbeth-- "That my keen knife see not the wound it makes."

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. knife

   Song lyrics by knife -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by knife on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Edge Tool
   • Injure
   • Weapon

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'knife' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3678

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'knife' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3130

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'knife' in Nouns Frequency: #1294

How to pronounce knife?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say knife in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of knife in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of knife in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of knife in a Sentence

1. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman:

   The four Brooklyn Center police officers who initially responded to the scene used de-escalation tactics and seemed to have calmed down Mr. Dimock-Heisler. Even when he sprang from his chair, grabbed a knife and attempted to stab one of the officers, three officers fired their Tasers, with no effect, then, and only then, did they fire their guns.

2. Buddha:

   A jug fills drop by drop The tongue is like a sharp knife kills without drawing blood

3. Remy Heitz:

   Throughout this journey, he repeatedly opened fire with a handgun and used a knife which he both used to seriously injure and kill.

4. Alyssa Bonel:

   The man got out of his vehicle holding a knife, came towards me and I tried to run but he caught me.

5. Ben Le Brun:

   Traders and investors are torn which way prices are going to break. It's a knife edge between optimism and pessimism.

Popularity rank by frequency of use