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knife

noun · verb

Simple meaning

Edge tool used as a cutting instrument.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

nyf
US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈnaɪf

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. Edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

  2. 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.

  3. Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as that of a chipper.

  4. A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing or stabbing but too short to be called a sword; a dagger.

verb

  1. transitive

    To use a knife to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the knife as a weapon.

    “The victim was knifed to death.”

  2. transitive

    To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate; compare cut.

  3. transitive

    To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.

  4. intransitive

    To cut through as if with a knife.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
A2 · Elementary (estimated)
Frequency
Common
Typical Use
General English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: Edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle

Used this way, knife is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use knife

  • “The victim was knifed to death.”verb

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Edge / utensil

knife bladeknife edgehunting knifebutcher knifesharp knife

Long

paring knife

Other combinations

pocket knifecarving knife

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • knife bladenounCompound term

    The blade of a knife.

  • knife-edgenounCompound term

    A narrow boundary.

  • knife fightnounCompound term

    Fighting with knives.

  • knife-handlenounCompound term

    Marine clam having a long narrow curved thin shell.

  • knife pleatnounCompound term

    A single pleat turned in one direction.

  • knife thrustnounCompound term

    A strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument.

Related Words

Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.