(knives, ~s, knifing, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
Note: 'knives' is the plural form of the noun and '~s' is the third person singular of the present tense of the verb.
1.
A ~ is a tool for cutting or a weapon and consists of a flat piece of metal with a sharp edge on the end of a handle.
...a ~ and fork...
Two robbers broke into her home, held a ~ to her throat and stole her savings.
N-COUNT
2.
To ~ someone means to attack and injure them with a ~.
Dawson takes revenge on the man by knifing him to death...
VERB: V n prep
3.
A surgeon’s ~ is a piece of equipment used to cut flesh and organs during operations. It is made of metal and has a very thin sharp edge.
= scalpel
N-COUNT
•
If you go under the ~, you have an operation in a hospital.
Kelly was about to go under the ~ when her surgeon stopped everything.
PHRASE: PHR after v
4.
see also carving ~ , fish ~ , flick ~ , palette ~ , paper ~ , pocket ~ , Stanley ~
5.
If someone does something like a ~ through butter or like a hot ~ through butter, they do it very easily.
Spending by Japanese companies has left them more competitive than companies in other nations. They will be cutting through the competition like a hot ~ through butter.
PHRASE: ~ inflects, PHR after v
6.
If you have been in a place where there was a very tense atmosphere, you can say that you could have cut the atmosphere with a ~. (mainly BRIT)
PHRASE
7.
If a lot of people want something unpleasant to happen to someone, for example if they want them to lose their job, you can say that the knives are out for that person. (mainly BRIT)
The Party knives are out for the leader.
PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR for n
8.
If you twist the ~ or if you turn the ~ in someone’s wound, you do or say something to make an unpleasant situation they are in even more unpleasant.
Travis twisted the ~ by laughing at her...
PHRASE: V inflects