I. ˈsikəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English sikel, from Old English sicol, sicel; akin to Old High German sichila sickle, Middle Dutch sekele; all from a prehistoric West Germanic word borrowed from Latin secula — more at saw
1.
a. : an agricultural implement consisting of a hook-shaped metal blade with a short handle fitted on a tang
b.
(1) : the cutting mechanism of a binder, reaper, combine, or header consisting of a flat bar to which are riveted a head and a series of sharp serrated 5-sided cutting blades
(2) : the knife with smooth sections used on a mower
2. : any of a series of sickle-shaped arms in a spinning mule to guide the thread
3. : sickle feather
4. : something that is suggestive of a sickle in shape or use : crescent
this sickle of sand which encloses one of the finest harbors — Mary H. Vorse
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II. verb
( sickled ; sickled ; sickling -k(ə)liŋ ; sickles )
transitive verb
1. : to mow or reap with a sickle
sickle down the weeds along the wall — Rumer Godden
2. : to form (a red blood cell) into a crescent
intransitive verb
1. : to move in a curving line suggestive of that of a sickle
children … would sickle quietly back like boomerangs along the soundless lawn — Ray Bradbury
2. : to form into a crescent
the ability of red blood cells to sickle
III. adjective
: having the form of a sickle blade : having a curve similar to that of a sickle blade
the sickle moon
a sickle beach