knife
noun/naɪf/
/naɪf/
(plural knives
Idioms /naɪvz/
/naɪvz/
)- a sharp blade (= metal edge) with a handle, used for cutting or as a weapon
enlarge image- knives and forks
- a sharp knife
- a bread knife (= one for cutting bread)
- The aim is to deter young people from carrying knives.
- He had been stabbed repeatedly with a kitchen knife.
- a plan to tackle knife crime
- She was murdered in a frenzied knife attack.
Extra ExamplesTopics Cooking and eatinga2- He and his gang had a knife fight one night.
- She plunged the knife deep into his heart.
- He pressed the knife tighter against her throat.
- She suddenly pulled a knife on me.
- He was slumped over his desk with a knife protruding from his back.
- She waved her knife in his face threateningly.
- He carries a knife on him now.
- She felt a knife slice her wrist open.
- He picked up his knife and fork and started to eat.
- She pointed her knife at Richard.
- He put the knife to her throat to frighten her into silence.
- She stabbed him in the back with a 12-inch knife.
- That knife doesn't cut very well—it needs sharpening.
- Use a sharp knife to cut away the spare dough.
- a set of kitchen knives
- Chuck drew his hunting knife from its sheath.
- Sara placed her knife and fork neatly on the plate.
- The raider threatened him with a 6-inch kitchen knife before escaping.
- (figurative) Each word he uttered was a knife in her heart.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- blunt
- dull
- sharp
- …
- set
- pick up
- lay down
- put down
- …
- cut
- slice
- clatter
- …
- blade
- handle
- block
- …
- with a/the knife
- the blade of a knife
- the handle of a knife
- go under the surgeon’s knife
- …
More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters- gnarled
- gnash
- gnat
- gnaw
- gnome
- haute cuisine
- heir
- herb
- honour
- hors d’oeuvre
- hour
- knack
- knee
- kneel
- knife
- knight
- knit
- knob
- knock
- knot
- know
- knuckle
- psalm
- psephology
- psychic
- ptarmigan
- pterodactyl
- psychology
- wrangle
- wrap
- wreath
- wreck
- wrench
- wrestle
- wriggle
- wring
- write
- wrong
- bomb
- climb
- crumb
- doubt
- lamb
- limb
- ascent
- fascinate
- muscle
- scene
- scissors
- height
- right
- sleigh
- weight
- align
- campaign
- design
- foreign
- malign
- reign
- unfeigned
- balmy
- calm
- calf
- half
- yolk
- autumn
- column
- condemn
- damn
- hymn
- solemn
- bristle
- fasten
- listen
- mortgage
- soften
- thistle
- wrestle
- biscuit
- build
- circuit
- disguise
- guilty
- league
- rogue
- vague
- yacht
- answer
- sword
- two
Word Originlate Old English cnīf, from Old Norse knífr, of Germanic origin.Take your English to the next level
The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app
Idioms
See knife in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee knife in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishthe knives are out (for somebody)
- the situation has become so bad that people are preparing to make one person take the blame, for example by taking away their job
- The knives are out for the chancellor.
like a knife through butter
- (informal) easily; without meeting any difficulty
put/stick the knife in | put/stick the knife into somebody
- (informal) to behave towards somebody in an unfriendly way and try to harm them
turn/twist the knife (in the wound)
- to say or do something unkind deliberately; to make somebody who is unhappy feel even more unhappy
- Marcia laughed as she twisted the knife still deeper.
- Just to twist the knife, the filmmakers have provided a surprise ending.
under the knife
- (informal) having a medical operation
- He is to go under the surgeon's knife again on Thursday.
Check pronunciation:
knife