scissors

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, plural, plural-only, usually) A tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed.
2. (plural, plural-only, uncountable) A type of defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving repeatedly turning one's aircraft towards that of the attacker in order to force them to overshoot.
3. (countable, plural, plural-only) An instance of the above dogfighting maneuver.
4. (countable, plural, plural-only) An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side.
5. (countable, plural, plural-only) A method of skating with one foot significantly in front of the other.
6. (countable, plural, plural-only) An exercise in which the legs are switched back and forth, suggesting the motion of scissors.
7. (countable, plural, plural-only) A scissors hold.
8. (plural, plural-only) A hand with the index and middle fingers open (a handshape resembling scissors), that beats paper and loses to rock. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

Verb

Rare form of scissor (“to cut using, or as if using, scissors”).

Verb

third-person singular simple present indicative of scissor

Intj

Cry of anguish or frustration.

scissor

• Noun
• Verb

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Synonyms

shears

pair of scissors

scissor hold

scissors hold

clippers

cut

clip

scissors grip

scissor grip

chisel

clipper

burrito

🌯

bash

charge

bud

broccoli

🥦

bar

ashes

ding

boom

💥

dew

ditch

fir

flower

🌸

funk

gage

gangster

gash

gauge

Ghana

🇬🇭

herb

🌿

boo

bale

hay

has

greta

blonde

hemp

greeter

homegrown

hooch

kali

kilter

kind

knife

🔪

limbo

loaf

lobo

loco

graver

Translations

ciseaux

Schere

tijeras

forbici

✂️

schaar

tisores

✂️

ψαλίδι

makas

✂️

tesoura

✂️

forbice

axicia

tijera

✂️

مقص

✂️

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsɪzəz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sisours

In summary

From Middle English sisours (attested since 1350–1400), from Old French cisoirs, from Late Latin cīsōria, plural of cīsōrium (“cutting tool”); from Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or caesus, past participle of caedō (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English sċēara (“scissors, shears”), whence shears. Doublet of chisel.
The current spelling, from the 16th century, is due to association with Medieval Latin scissor (“tailor”), from Latin carrying the meaning “carver, cutter”, from scindō (“to split”).