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Scissors vs Knife - What's the difference?

scissors | knife |

As nouns the difference between scissors and knife

is that scissors is a tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed while knife is a utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge, attached to a handle. The blade may be pointed for piercing.

As verbs the difference between scissors and knife

is that scissors is third-person singular of scissor while knife is to cut with a knife.

scissors

English

Noun

(en-plural noun)
  • (countable, plural in form, usually, with a plural verb) A tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed.
  • Those scissors are sharp. (indicating singular or plural scissors)
    That scissors is sharp. (less commonly to indicate singular scissors)
    Scissors are used to cut the flowers.
    Use a scissors to cut them if you don't have proper shears.
  • *
  • (countable, rugby) An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side.
  • They executed a perfect scissors .
  • (countable, skating) A method of skating with one foot significantly in front of the other.
  • (countable, gymnastics) An exercise in which the legs are switched back and forth, suggesting the motion of scissors.
  • (countable, wrestling) A scissors hold.
  • Usage notes

    * "A pair of scissors" is preferred to "a scissors" by about a four-to-one margin in the US (COCA). * "The scissors" is preferred to "the scissor" by about a thirty-to-one margin in the US (COCA).

    Synonyms

    * (tool used for cutting) pair of scissors * (rugby) switch

    Derived terms

    Verb

    (head)
  • (scissor)
  • 1000 English basic words

    knife

    English

    Noun

    (knives)
  • A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge, attached to a handle. The blade may be pointed for piercing.
  • * 2007 , Scott Smith, The Ruins , page 273
  • Jeff was bent low over the backboard, working with the knife , a steady sawing motion, his shirt soaked through with sweat.
  • A weapon designed with the aforementioned specifications intended for slashing and/or stabbing and too short to be called a sword. A dagger.
  • Any blade-like part in a tool or a machine designed for cutting, such as the knives for a chipper.
  • Derived terms

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    See also

    * athame * bayonet * bistoury * cake slice, cake-slice * dagger * poniard * scalpel * stiletto * (wikipedia "knife")

    Verb

    (knif)
  • To cut with a knife .
  • To use a knife' to injure or kill by stabbing, slashing, or otherwise using the sharp edge of the ' knife as a weapon.
  • To cut through as if with a knife .
  • To betray, especially in the context of a political slate.
  • To positively ignore, especially in order to denigrate. compare cut