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knife thrust

knife thrust

1 7.5
A strong stab with a knife into someone's body
  • noun
  • /naɪf θrʌst/
  • NSFW
translation icon : apuñalamiento
  • If Tom could maneuver himself behind Rafe, keeping the smaller man between him and Kinnock's knife thrusts.

Examples

  • The stranger carried a big knife thrust in a studded leather scabbard in his sash.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • -[knife thrust]

  • Many of his kind could be killed with a simple knife thrust; they were as vulnerable as any human.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • He killed Tanya Jackson instantly with a single knife thrust.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • All of this is followed by the coup de grâce-- a knife thrust beneath the chin.

  • The knife thrust when it caught him was done so skillfully, in and under and up beneath the rib cage, straight to the heart, that he would have been impressed by the speed and the sheer professionalism.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The detective noted that the murder was committed with a single, swift knife thrust to the victim's chest.

  • In the dramatic scene, the hero defended himself with a quick knife thrust that stopped the attacker in his tracks.

  • She narrowly avoided the knife thrust aimed at her during the fierce struggle.

Synonyms

stab
vsknife thrust
  • NSFW
79 3.5

A sudden sharp wound made by a knife or other pointed object

is specifically about forceful blows delivered by pointed weapons
stabbing
vsknife thrust
  • NSFW
69 4.1

An attack where someone is hurt or killed with a knife

is about a single forceful weapon strike rather than the whole incident
thrust
vsknife thrust
26 4.2

A strong sudden push often made with a hand or weapon

is limited to forceful weapon stabs rather than general pushes
jab
vsknife thrust
16 3.0

A quick sharp poke with a finger, hand, or object

is a harder, more violent blow delivered with a pointed weapon
knifing
vsknife thrust
  • Offensive
2 7.4

An attack that injures someone with a knife

focuses on forceful pointed strikes rather than broader cutting attacks
foin
vsknife thrust
  • Archaic
9.9

A sudden forward stab with a pointed weapon

is the common modern term for the same violent action
quick thrust
vsknife thrust
5.2

A fast forward jab with a hand or a weapon

is stronger, implying a more forceful blow by a pointed weapon

Antonyms

1.3

To protect people and things from attack or harm

How Forceful

impalement
  • Offensive
3 9.9
knife thrust
  • NSFW
1 7.5
jab
16 3.0

Surface Forms

knife thrust singular
knife thrusts plural

Morphology

knife + thrust

The phrase 'knife thrust' is a literal noun phrase composed of 'knife' (a cutting weapon) and 'thrust' (a quick, forceful stab), so its meaning – a forceful stab with a knife – is directly derivable from the constituents. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows straightforward noun + action naming, making it easily understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Knife thrust comes from the clear picture of a knife being pushed forward in a quick, strong move — the thrust. So it means 'a forceful stab or blow with a knife'.