Word forms: plural knives, 3rd person singular presenttense knifes, present participle knifing, past tense, past participle knifedlanguage note: knives is the plural form of the noun and knifes is the third person singular of the present tense of the verb.
1. countable noun
A knife is a tool for cutting or a weapon and consists of a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge on the end of a handle.
...a knife and fork.
Two robbers broke into her home, held a knife to her throat and stole her savings.
Synonyms: blade, carver, cutter, cutting tool More Synonyms of knife
2. verb
To knife someone means to attack and injure them with a knife.
Dawson takes revenge on the man by knifing him to death. [VERB noun preposition]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: cut, wound, stab, slash More Synonyms of knife
3. countable noun
A surgeon's knife is a piece of equipment used to cut flesh and organs during operations. It is made of metal and has a very thin sharp edge.
See under the knife
4. See also carving knife, fish knife, flick-knife, palette knife, paper knife, pocket knife, Stanley knife
5.
See like a knife through butter/like a hot knife through butter
6.
See you can cut sth with a knife
7.
See the knives are out for sb
8.
See to twist the knife
knife in British English
(naɪf)
nounWord forms: pluralknives (naɪvz)
1.
a cutting instrument consisting of a sharp-edged often pointed blade of metal fitted into a handle or onto a machine
2.
a similar instrument used as a weapon
3. have one's knife in someone
4. twist the knife
5. the knives are out for someone
6. under the knife
verb(transitive)
7.
to cut, stab, or kill with a knife
8.
to betray, injure, or depose in an underhand way
Derived forms
knifelike (ˈknifeˌlike)
adjective
knifer (ˈknifer)
noun
Word origin
Old English cnīf; related to Old Norse knīfr, Middle Low German knīf
knife in American English
(naɪf)
nounWord forms: pluralknives
1.
a cutting or stabbing instrument with a sharp blade, single-edged or double-edged, set in a handle
2.
a cutting blade, as in a machine
verb transitiveWord forms: knifed or ˈknifing
3.
to cut or stab with a knife
4. US, Informal
to use underhanded methods in order to hurt, defeat, or betray
verb intransitive US
5.
to pass into or through something quickly, like a sharp knife
Idioms:
under the knife
Derived forms
knifelike (ˈknifeˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
ME knif < OE cnif, akin to Ger kneif, ON knīfr < IE *gneibh- (> Lith gnaibis, a pinching): for base see knead
knife in Hospitality
(naɪf)
Word forms: (plural) knives
noun
(Hospitality (hotel): Restaurant, equipment)
A knife is a tool for cutting and consists of a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge onthe end of a handle.
She asked a waiter to replace her knife and fork.
Place the knives on the right hand side of the plates.
Use a large knife to cut ham and other pieces of meat.
Trim round the edge with a sharp knife and discard the excess dough.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
How many straight cuts of the knife do you need to divide the cheese into 27 little cubes?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The edge of the plastic cut through my top lip like a knife through butter.
Moynihan, John Kevin Keegan - Black and White (1993)
Then use a sharp knife to cut between each piece.
The Sun (2012)
It has a chain attached to the lining with a knife on the end.
The Sun (2008)
Two pals suffered knife wounds to their heads.
The Sun (2006)
Remove before the drying cycle and chip off the residue with the back of a knife.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The economy is on a knife edge.
The Sun (2008)
The third and fourth attacks involved the knife and more punches in the face.
The Sun (2008)
You are about four times more likely to be killed with a knife than with a gun.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Trim offthe excess pastry with a sharp knife.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
What man wants to be seen with those knife handles sticking out?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But the man shook the knife at him.
Christianity Today (2000)
Spread on top of the pancake and then roll up and eat with a knife and fork.
The Sun (2013)
He has now had two operations on a deep knife cut to his arm.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Courts were given the tougher sentence last year in a renewed bid to end knife crime.
The Sun (2009)
They say that knife and gun crime is out of control and that we need to understand why it is happening and stop it.
The Sun (2009)
In other languages
knife
British English: knife /naɪf/ NOUN
A knife is a tool consisting of a sharp flat piece of metal attached to a handle, used to cut things or as a weapon.
...a knife and fork.
American English: knife
Arabic: سِكِّينَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: faca
Chinese: 刀
Croatian: nož
Czech: nůž
Danish: kniv
Dutch: mes
European Spanish: cuchillo
Finnish: veitsi
French: couteau
German: Messer
Greek: μαχαίρι
Italian: coltello
Japanese: ナイフ
Korean: 칼
Norwegian: kniv
Polish: nóż
European Portuguese: faca
Romanian: cuțit
Russian: нож
Latin American Spanish: cuchillo
Swedish: kniv
Thai: มีด
Turkish: bıçak
Ukrainian: ніж
Vietnamese: dao
British English: knife VERB
To knife someone means to attack and injure them with a knife.
Dawson takes revenge on the man by knifing him to death.
American English: knife
Brazilian Portuguese: esfaquear
Chinese: 用刀砍
European Spanish: acuchillar
French: poignarder
German: einstechen auf
Italian: accoltellare
Japanese: ナイフで刺す
Korean: 칼로 찌르다
European Portuguese: esfaquear
Latin American Spanish: acuchillar
All related terms of 'knife'
bowie knife
a stout hunting knife with a short hilt and a guard for the hand
bush knife
a large heavy knife suitable for outdoor use
case knife
→ sheath knife
clasp knife
a large knife with one or more blades or other devices folding into the handle
craft knife
a knife used for paper crafts , etc, that has a sharp replaceable blade
fish knife
A fish knife is a knife that you use when you eat fish. It has a wide flat blade and does not have a sharp edge .
flick knife
A flick-knife is a knife with a blade in the handle that springs out when a button is pressed.
fruit knife
a small stainless knife for cutting fruit
gamma knife
a machine that uses radiation with extreme accuracy to destroy abnormal tissue, esp in the brain
jack-knife
If a truck that is in two parts jack-knifes , the back part swings around at a sharp angle to the front part in an uncontrolled way as the truck is moving.
knife edge
You can use knife-edge to refer to something that is very exciting or tense because you do not know what is going to happen next.
knife-edged
tense and exciting because it is unclear what is going to happen next
knife pleat
a single pleat turned in one direction
knife-point
the tip of a knife blade
paper knife
A paper knife is a tool shaped like a knife, which is used for opening envelopes .
putty knife
a spatula used to mix or apply putty
steak knife
a knife with a serrated blade , used for eating steak or other fried meat
butter knife
a knife , often with a curved tip , used for picking up butter at a table
carving knife
A carving knife is a long sharp knife that is used to cut cooked meat.
combat knife
a large knife for military use
dinner knife
a knife used for eating dinner
hunting knife
a knife used for flaying and cutting up game and sometimes for killing it
knife attack
To attack a person or place means to try to hurt or damage them using physical violence .
knife grinder
a person who makes and sharpens knives , esp an itinerant one
knife switch
an electric switch in which a flat metal blade , hinged at one end, is pushed between fixed contacts
palette knife
A palette knife is a knife with a broad , flat , flexible blade, used in cookery and in oil painting .
pallet knife
a round-ended spatula with a thin flexible blade used esp by artists for mixing , applying, and scraping off paint , esp oil paint
paring knife
a short-bladed kitchen knife for paring fruits and vegetables
pocket knife
A pocket knife is a small knife with several blades which fold into the handle so that you can carry it around with you safely.
pruning knife
a knife used for pruning
sheath knife
a knife carried in or protected by a sheath
Stanley knife
A Stanley knife is a very sharp knife that is used to cut materials such as carpet and paper . It consists of a small blade fixed in the end of a handle.
trench knife
a double-edged steel knife , often with a guard in the form of a knuckle-duster , designed for close combat
chopping knife
a knife for chopping meat , vegetables etc
knife-sharpener
a kitchen implement that is used to sharpen knives
vegetable knife
a knife designed to cut up vegetables
at knife-point
under threat of being stabbed
on a knife-edge
To be on a knife-edge means to be in a situation in which nobody knows what is going to happen next , or in which one thing is just as likely to happen as another.
saw-edged knife
a knife with a serrated edge
Swiss Army knife
a pocket knife including a variety of blades and tools , each of which can be folded into the handle
switchblade (knife)
a large jackknife that snaps open when a release button on the handle is pressed
twist the knife
to deliberately do or say things which make a situation even worse for someone who is already upset or experiencing problems
under the knife
If you go under the knife , you have an operation in a hospital .
stick the knife in
to deliberately do or say things which will upset another person or cause problems for them
barlow
a large strong pocket-knife with a single blade
drawknife
a woodcutting tool with two handles at right angles to the blade , used to shave wood
have one's knife in someone
to have a grudge against or victimize someone
like a knife through butter
quickly and without any problems
switchblade
A switchblade is a knife with a blade that is hidden in the handle and that springs out when a button is pressed.
twist the knife in sb's wound
If you twist the knife in someone's wound , you do or say something to make an unpleasant situation they are in even more unpleasant.
Chinese translation of 'knife'
knife
(naɪf)
Word forms:plknives
n(c)
刀 (dāo) (把, bǎ)
vt
用刀刺 (yòng dāo cì)
knife and fork刀叉 (dāochā)
to go under the knife动(動)手术(術) (dòng shǒushù)
the knives are out for him (Brit) 他成为(為)众(眾)矢之的 (tā chéngwéi zhòng shǐ zhī dì)
All related terms of 'knife'
knife and fork
刀叉 dāochā
armed with a knife
携(攜)带(帶)小刀的 xiédài xiǎodāo de
to go under the knife
动(動)手术(術) dòng shǒushù
to use a knife in defence
用匕首防身 yòng bǐshǒu fángshēn
a knife for chopping vegetables
用于(於)切菜的刀 yòngyú qiēcài de dāo
he came at me with a knife
他拿着(著)刀扑(撲)向我 tā názhe dāo pūxiàng wǒ
to threaten sb with a knife/gun
用刀/枪(槍)威胁(脅)某人 yòng dāo/qiāng wēixié mǒurén
sharpener
pencil sharpener 卷(捲)笔(筆)刀 juǎnbǐdāo
to hack (away) at sth with a knife
用刀乱(亂)砍某物 yòng dāo luànkǎn mǒuwù
(noun)
Definition
a cutting instrument or weapon consisting of a sharp-edged blade of metal fitted into a handle
a knife and fork
Synonyms
blade
carver
cutter
cutting tool
(verb)
Definition
to stab or kill with a knife
The Roman senators famously knifed Julius Caesar.
Synonyms
cut
I cut myself shaving.
wound
The driver of the bus was wounded by shrapnel.
stab
Somebody stabbed him in the stomach.
slash
He didn't make it into work today because someone slashed his tyres last night.
thrust
I thrust the needle into the coarse fabric.
gore
He was gored to death by a rhinoceros.
pierce
Her words pierced Lydia's heart like an arrow.
spear
Spearing fish was a traditional way to hunt.
jab
The needle was jabbed into my arm by a nurse.
bayonet
He carried the colonel on his back after he was bayoneted.
impale
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
lacerate
Its claws lacerated his thighs.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bayonet
Definition
to stab or kill with a bayonet
He carried the colonel on his back after he was bayoneted.
Synonyms
stab,
cut,
wound,
knife,
slash,
pierce,
run through,
spear,
transfix,
impale,
lacerate,
stick
in the sense of gore
Definition
(of an animal) to pierce or stab (a person or another animal) with a horn or tusk
He was gored to death by a rhinoceros.
Synonyms
pierce,
wound,
stab,
spit,
transfix,
impale
in the sense of impale
Definition
to pierce through or fix with a sharp object
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
Synonyms
pierce,
stick,
run through,
spike,
lance,
spear,
skewer,
spit,
transfix
Synonyms of 'knife'
knife
Explore 'knife' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of jab
Definition
to poke sharply
The needle was jabbed into my arm by a nurse.
Synonyms
poke,
dig,
punch,
thrust,
tap,
stab,
nudge,
prod,
lunge
in the sense of lacerate
Definition
to tear (the flesh) jaggedly
Its claws lacerated his thighs.
Synonyms
tear,
cut,
wound,
rend (literary),
rip,
slash,
claw,
maim,
mangle,
mangulate (Australian, slang),
gash,
jag
in the sense of pierce
Her words pierced Lydia's heart like an arrow.
Synonyms
hurt,
cut,
wound,
strike,
touch,
affect,
pain,
move,
excite,
stir,
thrill,
sting,
rouse,
cut to the quick
in the sense of slash
Definition
to make large gashes in
He didn't make it into work today because someone slashed his tyres last night.
Synonyms
cut,
slit,
gash,
lacerate,
score,
rend (literary),
rip,
hack
in the sense of spear
Definition
a weapon consisting of a long pole with a sharp point