paper knife

noun

a small, often decorative, knifelike instrument with a blade of metal, ivory, wood, or the like, for slitting open envelopes, the leaves of books, folded papers, etc.

the blade of a paper cutter.

Origin of paper knife

First recorded in 1800–10

Words nearby paper knife

paper clip, paper cutter, paper doll, paper filigree, paper gold, paper knife, paper match, paper mill worker's disease, paper money, paper mulberry, paper nautilus

Example sentences from the Web for paper knife

Tiens, see this paper-knife,' producing one from his pocket. '

Mated from the Morgue |John Augustus O'Shea
Horace took his paper-knife from the table and twirled it in his fingers.

From the Valley of the Missing |Grace Miller White
Here Mr. Frank began to get sentimental again, and I pulled him up short once more with the paper-knife.

The Scrap Book, Volume 1, No. 3 |Various
He placed against his cheek the point of a dagger, which was round and blunt as that of a paper-knife.

Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, ambassador, author and conjurer |Jean Henri Robert-Houdin

"I wonder what this can be," she remarked as she reached for a paper-knife.

Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, October 21, 1914 |Various

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

paper knife

noun

Origin of paper knife

Words nearby paper knife

Example sentences from the Web for paper knife