Knife
KNIFE (0. E. cnff, a word appearing in different forms in many Teutonic languages, cf. Du. knijf, Ger. Kneif, a shoemaker's knife, Swed. knif; the ultimate origin is unknown; Skeat finds the origin in the root of " nip," formerly " knip "; Fr. canif is also of Teutonic origin), a small cutting instrument, with the blade either fixed to the handle or fastened with a hinge so as to clasp into the handle (see CUTLERY). For the knives chipped from flint by prehistoric man see ARCHAEOLOGY and FLINT IMPLEMENTS.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
