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to knife

to knife

15 7.1
To cut or hurt someone with a sharp blade
  • verb
  • /naɪf/
  • NSFW
translation icon : apuñalar a
  • How do I know you're not going to knife me when my back's turned?
  • get knifed
  • knife a guy
  • knifed to death

Examples

  • In December 2007, another priest was knifed by a teenager as he left his church following Sunday mass.

    Academic text (2011)
  • So the brother was willing to knife his brother over this issue.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You used it to knife your mother in the back?

  • Turns out he knifed some woman and her kid.

  • Some people take a dislike to someone and order him knifed for no good reason.

    Blog text (6)
  • The attacker knifed the victim during the altercation.

  • After a heated argument, he knifed his rival in the street.

  • The news reported that a man knifed another after a dispute.

Synonyms

to wound
vsto knife
617 2.3

To cut or hurt someone's body physically

specifies causing such injury by using a handheld sharp blade to stab
to stab
vsto knife
  • NSFW
459 2.7

To push a sharp pointed object into a person or animal

focuses on causing a wound by using a handheld cutting blade
to chop
vsto knife
193 1.0

To cut something into pieces using a sharp tool like a knife or axe

describes piercing or wounding by a thrusting action rather than chopping
to cut up
vsto knife
62 4.1

Cause serious harm to people or things with a sharp object

focuses on a single stabbing action that creates a deep wound
to slash
vsto knife
53 3.0

To cut forcefully with a knife or sharp tool

involves piercing or wounding by thrusting rather than making long cuts
to spear
vsto knife
8 4.9

To pierce something with a long sharp point like a stick or fork

describes similar piercing harm but with a short handheld cutting blade
to bayonet
vsto knife
  • NSFW
2 9.3

To stab someone with a blade fixed to a rifle

describes the same thrusting harm but with a small civilian blade instead
to dagger
vsto knife
  • NSFW
1 7.9

To stab someone with a short pointed knife

refers to causing a wound specifically using a small handheld blade
to nife
vsto knife
  • NSFW
9.9

To cut or stab someone with a small blade

is the modern expression for injuring by stabbing with a small weapon

Idioms

A situation that could easily end well or badly

Be badly prepared for a situation where others have much better tools

1 9.4

Say or do something on purpose to hurt someone who is already in trouble

1 8.9

A hurtful comment or action that makes someone feel worse after bad news

It happens very quickly

Fails to make a strong point because it is dull and weak

hurt your knife
  • Informal
9.9

A mocking question you ask after someone betrays you to show anger

Not very quick to understand things

Phrasal Verbs

1 6.0

To cut food into pieces with a knife

Compounds

15 1.4

A small sharp knife with a serrated or straight edge used to cut cooked meat at the table

13 3.2

A large sharp knife used for cutting meat

12 2.2

A small folding tool with a metal blade that fits into its handle and into a pocket

10 2.8

A large sharp knife used by hunters to cut meat and skin animals

9 7.4

A violent attack between people using knives to hurt each other

7 1.0

A small dull tool with a rounded blade for spreading butter

A small folding tool with blades and screwdrivers that people use to mean a person with many skills

A large sharp knife used to slice cooked meat

5 3.2

A small sharp knife for peeling and trimming fruit and vegetables

3 1.7

A long knife with a saw-like edge used for cutting bread

3 1.0

The flat sharp part of a knife used for cutting

2 7.7

A large hunting knife with a wide blade and a guard between blade and handle

1 5.3

A flat tool with a thin blade used to spread or scrape soft material like putty

1 1.5

A small tool with a thin blade for cutting cheese

A thin flat tool artists use to mix and spread oil paint on a palette or canvas

A small folding knife that opens by itself when a button is pressed

1 1.0

A blunt tool used to cut and spread food at the table

1 4.5

A small table knife with a wide flat blade used for eating fish

A person who throws knives at targets as part of a show

A small knife with a short stiff blade and curved point for cutting linoleum

1 4.4

A small sharp knife for opening envelopes or cutting closed book pages

clasp knife
  • Archaic
1 6.4

A large folding knife with blades that fold into the handle

A large heavy knife for chopping meat and vegetables

1 4.6

A crime where someone uses a knife to hurt or kill another person

1 7.5

A strong stab with a knife into someone's body

trench knife
  • Archaic
1 9.0

A knife with two sharp edges made for close fighting in trenches

1 5.1

A knife with a fixed blade that you carry in a protective cover

bolo knife
  • Philippine
7.9

A long heavy tool with one sharp edge used for cutting plants and wood

A small knife with a fixed blade carried in a sheath

A knife with a rounded end used for spreading butter and eating soft foods

4.9

A large heavy knife with a wide blade for cutting meat and vegetables

A tropical bean plant with red flowers that grows black beans with white spots you can eat

A small folding knife with a long oval handle and one strong blade

8.1

A small folding knife whose blade opens quickly when you press a button

8.1

A small folding knife with a blade that opens quickly when you press a button

The sharp side of a knife that cuts things

knife pleat
  • Specialized
6.3

A narrow fold in cloth pressed flat in one direction, often used in skirts

A very unstable situation that can quickly become much worse or better after a small change

A small sea clam with a long narrow curved shell like the handle of a knife

A small sharp tool gardeners use to cut plants and roots

hobby knife
  • Specialized
3.8

A small sharp tool with a replaceable blade that you use in crafts for precise cutting

A large pocket knife with a blade that folds and locks

A small tool with a curved blade for cutting and trimming plants

surgical knife
  • Specialized
3.8

A very sharp knife a doctor uses in an operation to cut parts of the body

How Violent

to impale
  • Offensive
26 7.7
to knife
  • NSFW
15 7.1
to slash
53 3.0
cut
337 1.0
to nick
33 3.5

Surface Forms

knife infinitive
knifed past
knifed past participle
knifing present participle
knifes third person singular

Etymology

Knife meaning 'to stab' comes from the noun knife — using a blade to hurt someone. That's why when someone is 'knifed' they are wounded by a knife.