knife

Signification

Noun

1. 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.
2. A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing and/or stabbing and too short to be called a sword. A dagger.
3. Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as that of a chipper.

Verb

1. To cut with a knife.
2. To use a knife to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the knife as a weapon.
3. To cut through as if with a knife.
4. To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.
5. To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate; compare cut.

Prononcé comme (IPA)

/naɪf/

Étymologie

From Middle English knyf, knif, from late Old English cnīf, from Old Norse knífr, from Proto-Germanic *knībaz, from *knīpaną (“to pinch”), Proto-Indo-European *gneybʰ- (compare Lithuanian gnýbti, žnýbti (“to pinch”), gnaibis (“pinching”)). Displaced native Middle English sax (“knife”) from Old English seax; and Middle English coutel, qwetyll (“knife”) from Old French coutel.
The verb knife is attested since the mid 1800s; the variant knive is attested since 1733.

Phrases

He took his plate , grabbed a knife and fork and scowled at the savagery on television .

Il a pris son assiette, a attrapé un couteau et une fourchette et a frappé à la sauvagerie à la télévision.