knife-rest

A silver knife-rest holds a clean dinner knife beside a white plate.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A utensil for dining tables: A "knife-rest" is a small support or stand placed on a dining table, designed to hold a knife (or other cutlery) above the table surface, preventing the blade from touching the tablecloth or the table itself.

Usage Examples

• (A small stand for the knife at the table.)
• (Using the stand to keep the knife clean.)

Advanced Usage

• "to use a knife-rest": to employ this utensil during a formal meal.

  • In fine dining, it is customary to use a knife-rest between courses. (A practice in formal settings.)

• "knife-rest set": a matching collection of such stands, often made of metal, ceramic, or glass.

  • The antique knife-rest set was passed down through the family. (A set of decorative stands.)

Variants and Related Words

• Knife-rest (n): the exact term; no common variants, though "rest" alone may refer to a support in other contexts (e.g., "armrest").
• Knife (n): a cutting tool used with the knife-rest.
• Rest (n): a support or base for an object.

Synonyms

• Cutlery rest: a broader term for a stand holding any piece of cutlery (knife, fork, or spoon).
• Knife stand: a similar support, though "stand" may imply a more vertical or decorative holder.

Related Idioms

• No common idioms directly use "knife-rest," but it appears in dining etiquette phrases:
  • "Place the knife on the knife-rest, not on the plate." (A rule of formal table manners.)

Phrasal Verbs

• No phrasal verbs are associated with "knife-rest" as a noun; it is a compound noun used in static contexts.