*knife*

1. A knife carried in a sheath or case. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A large table knife; -- so called from being formerly kept in a case. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. 1. A woodworker`s and joiner's tool having a blade with a handle at each end, used to shave off surfaces, by drawing it toward one; a shave; -- called also drawshave, and drawing shave. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Carp.) A tool used for the purpose of making an incision along the path a saw is to follow, to prevent it from tearing the surface of the wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. see drawing knife.
Syn. -- drawshave. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A large, strong clasp knife for the pocket; a pocket knife. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Knives [ OE. knif, AS. cnīf; akin to D. knijf, Icel. knīfr, Sw. knif, Dan. kniv. ] 1. An instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife, drawing knife, putty knife, pallet knife, pocketknife, penknife, chopping knife, etc.. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sword or dagger. [ 1913 Webster ]

The coward conquest of a wretch's knife. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knife grass (Bot.) a tropical American sedge (Scleria latifolia), having leaves with a very sharp and hard edge, like a knife. --
War to the knife, mortal combat; a conflict carried to the last extremity. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Knifed p. pr. & vb. n. Knifing ] 1. (Hort.) To prune with the knife. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cut or stab with a knife. [ Low ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fig.: To stab in the back; to try to defeat by underhand means, esp. in politics; to vote or work secretly against (a candidate of one's own party). [ Slang, U. S. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A board on which knives are cleaned or polished. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mech.) A piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knife-edge file. See Illust. of File. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Elec.) A switch consisting of one or more knifelike pieces hinged at one end and making contact near the other with flat gripping springs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A dull knife used to cut open the envelopes in which letters are mailed or to slit uncut pages of books.
Syn. -- letter opener. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Penknives [ Pen + knife. ] A small pocketknife; formerly, a knife used for making and mending quill pens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. -knives A knife with one or more blades, which fold into the handle so as to admit of being carried in the pocket. [ 1913 Webster ]

A spalting knife. [ 1913 Webster ]