Dictionary

race knife en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹeɪs naɪf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɹeɪs ˌnaɪf/ (General-American)

Etymology

From race (“to cut, scratch, or tear (someone or something) with a sharp object”, verb) + knife.

Meanings

1. A kind of knife hooked at the point, used for marking outlines on metal, wood, etc.
   • And be it enacted, That every surveyor of lumber who shall be required to survey any timber or lumber, shall, at the time of making the survey, mark with a race knife or scoring iron, on each and every stick of ton timber by him surveyed, the number of cubic feet such stick shall contain[…] 1849, “Cap. XIX. An Act to regulate the survey of timber and lumber”, in The Acts of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island, volume 1, Prince Edward Island: Royal Gazette Office, published 1862, section XX, page 625:
   • Trees intended for felling should be plainly and legibly numbered, in consecutive order, with white paint, the surface of the outer bark being smoothed with a race''' knife for this purpose. 1859, John Blenkarn, “Timber-Felling”, in British Timber Trees, London: Routledge, Warne & Routledge, page 135:

Forms

Synonyms

race-tool · race