Knive
//naɪv// verb
verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 Rare form of knife. form-of, rare
"all small weak Shoots should be cut close to the main Stems; and (generally speaking) nipping with your Nails, is a better Way than kniving of them."
Example
More examples"He gave me a book instead of a knive."
Etymology
Attested since at least 1733. Knife (verb), which is now 150 times more common, is first attested in the 1860s. Related to knife (“short blade”, noun); compare strife (noun), strive (verb).
Related phrases
More for "knive"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.