dagger

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“
Yet had he not done with me, for, leaving the axe, he clawed the ashen shaft and dragged himself up along it, howling, not with the pain, but with madness, and I must needs smite him with my sword, for his dagger was already at my throat Then looked I round for the other, but at first could not see him, for he was dead also, pinned to the ground by another of the horsemen, from behind.

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Definitions (30)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (5)

  1. noun A short pointed weapon with sharp edges.
  2. noun Something that agonizes, torments, or wounds.
  3. noun Printing See obelisk.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (20)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Besides, neither the box nor the dagger was there. —  Garwood, Julie - Ransom
  • It was traditional, the note said Chainer pointed out to Skellum that in addition to being ceremonial, the dagger was also too heavy, had runes carved clean through its blade, and was entirely useless for anything but stirring gruel. —  SCOTT McGOUGH
  • Which means that the dagger was there in the hut and could have been used by absolutely anyone who came along. —  Out of the Past - Patricia Wentworth - Miss Silver 23: 1953
  • She turns round from the window, sees him, picks up up the dagger which is lying on the writing-table, and strikes blindly with it. —  The Ivory Dagger - Patricia WentworthMiss Silver 19
  • The floating bodies thrust awkwardly gripped swords at them, but even Josephine with her dagger was able to knock them away. —  Tim Powers - The Stress of Her Regard
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Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English daggere, alteration of Old French dague, from Old Provençal dague or Old Italian daga, both perhaps from Vulgar Latin *dāca (ēnsis), Dacian (knife), from feminine of Latin Dācus.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. from Middle English dagger = Icelandic daggardr = Danish daggert; of Celtic origin: from Welsh dagr = Irish daigear = Breton dager, a dagger; cf. Breton dag = Old Gaelic daga, a dagger: see dag, n.
  2. from Middle English daggeren (in def. 2); from dagger, n.
  3. Supposed to be a corruption of diagonal.
 

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/ˈdægər/
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