n. & v. (US saber)
n. 1 a cavalry sword with a curved blade. 2 a cavalry soldier and horse. 3 a light fencing-sword with a tapering blade.
v.tr. cut down or wound with a sabre. sabre-bill any S. American bird of the genus Campylorhamphus with a long curved bill. sabre-cut 1 a blow with a sabre. 2 a wound made or a scar left by this. sabre-rattling a display or threat of military force. sabre-toothed designating any of various extinct mammals having long sabre-shaped upper canines. sabre-wing a S. American humming-bird, Campylopterus falcatus, with curved wings.
[ F, earlier sable f. G Sabel, Sbel, Schabel f. Pol. szabla or Magyar szablya ]