knives

A chef sharpens his knives in the kitchen.

Definition

1. Noun (plural of ):
   • Cutting tools: "knives" are instruments consisting of a blade fixed into a handle, used for cutting or as a weapon.
   • Surgical instruments: In medicine, "knives" refer to scalpels or blades used in operations.

Usage Examples

• (Cutting tools used in cooking.)
• (Surgical instruments.)

Advanced Usage

• "to go under the knives": to undergo surgery.
  • The patient went under the knives early this morning. (The patient had an operation.)
• "before you can say knives": extremely quickly.
  • He vanished before you can say knives. (He disappeared instantly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Knife (n, singular): a single cutting tool.
  • He handed me a sharp knife. (One cutting implement.)
• Knifing (v, present participle): the act of stabbing with a knife.
  • The attacker was knifing his victim in the alley. (Stabbing repeatedly.)

Synonyms

• Blades: the cutting parts of knives.
• Cutters: tools or people that cut.

Phrasal Verbs

• Knife through: to cut or penetrate forcefully.
  • The boat knifed through the waves. (Moved swiftly and sharply.)
• Knife off: to remove by cutting with a knife.
  • He knifed off the excess rope. (Cut it away.)

Related Idioms

• "to get one's knives into someone": to attack or criticize someone fiercely.
  • The critics got their knives into the new film. (They harshly criticized it.)
• "war to the knives": a conflict without mercy.
  • The two rivals fought a war to the knives. (A bitter, all-out struggle.)