Dictionary

switchblade en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈswɪt͡ʃˌbleɪd/

Etymology

From switch + blade.

Meanings

1. A folding knife with a blade which opens automatically (under spring pressure) when a button is pressed.

Forms

Relateds

flick knife

Translations (24)

nb springkniv (type of folding knife) · pl sprężynowiec (type of folding knife) · sv springkniv (type of folding knife) · th มีดสปริง (type of folding knife) · nl springmes (type of folding knife) · es cuchillo automático (type of folding knife) · de Springmesser (type of folding knife) · nl vouwmes (type of folding knife) · da springkniv (type of folding knife) · th มีดพกสปริง (type of folding knife) · es navaja automática (type of folding knife) · nl stiletto (type of folding knife) · nb sprettkniv (type of folding knife) · fr couteau à cran d'arrêt (type of folding knife) · tr sustalı çakı (type of folding knife) · cs vystřelovák (type of folding knife) · nn sprettkniv (type of folding knife) · ja 飛び出しナイフ (type of folding knife) · pl nóż sprężynowy (type of folding knife) · et pussnuga (type of folding knife) · fi stiletti (type of folding knife) · sv stilett (type of folding knife) · cs vystřelovací nůž (type of folding knife) · cmn 彈簧刀 /弹簧刀 (type of folding knife)

switchblade en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈswɪt͡ʃˌbleɪd/

Etymology

From switch + blade.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To attack or cut with a switchblade.
   • I got terrible hangovers from the cheap booze; and, one night, I almost got switchbladed when I put my arm around the wrong "lady of the night. 1987, Ron Rearick, Doug Murren, Iceman, →ISBN, page 53:
   • Finally there was Jackie, the gold-toothed gang member (as she liked to remind us) who'd switchbladed thirty or forty or fifty people 2016, Daniel Kraus, The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume Two: Empire Decayed, →ISBN:
   • They are the American dream torn asunder, like clean fresh laundry left drying on the clothesline, switchbladed by bored boys of summer. 2015, Paul Maher Jr., Caitlin Stuart, Love That Loves Us: Reflections on the Films of Terrence Malick, →ISBN:
2. (intransitive) To spring open or up.
   • He ticked off the facts, switchblading out a finger for each one. 2015, Jeffrey Bartsch, Two Across, →ISBN:
   • Switchblading open their silvery cell phones, they call their mortgage brokers and say “Buy.” 2007, Richard Canning, Between Men: Best New Gay Fiction, →ISBN, page 253:
   • I stood there waiting for the three remaining Rottweilers to come barreling toward the fence, fangs switchbladed open. 2009, Erik Raschke, The Book of Samuel: A Novel, →ISBN, page 200:
   • Steering and stabilization fins switchblading out, followed by the wings. 2007, David Poyer, The Command: A Novel, →ISBN, page 190:
3. (ambitransitive) To (cause to) make a sudden move or transition.
   • Daniel's smile is fixed, but his eyes are switchblading from side to side, looking at Paula, looking for an exit. 2007, Lynn Hoffman, Bang Bang, →ISBN, page 76:
   • The lantern began swinging to its own rhythm, switchblading light all over the tent. 2014, Carol Muske-Dukes, Dear Digby: A Novel, →ISBN:
   • The play's principal comic manoeuvre is to have concern switchblading into callousness. 2002, Plays International - Volume 18, page 15:
   • He briefly rocked medical school, switchbladed to accounting and finally joked his first radio script in 1938. 1963, Cleveland Amory, Earl Blackwell, Celebrity Register:

Forms

Translations (2)

pl atakować nożem sprężynowym (attack or cut with a switchblade) · pl zaatakować nożem sprężynowym (attack or cut with a switchblade)