Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A knife resembling a sword.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as snick and snee (which see, under snick).

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A large sword-like knife, especially one used as a weapon.
  • noun archaic A knife fight.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun fighting with knives

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of obsolete stick or snee, to cut and thrust in fighting with a knife, partial translation of Dutch steken of snijden : steken, to stab (from Middle Dutch; see steig- in Indo-European roots) + of, or + snijden, to cut (from Middle Dutch sniden).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

An alteration of snick or snee.

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Examples

  • “It is a good deal like a mole: You know the mole is there; you see where he has made the hole and the hump in the ground where he has crawled; but if you jab a ‘snickersnee’ into the hole, he may not be there.”

    Colossus Michael Hiltzik 2010

  • Or if you'd come on the scene a minute later, even ... oh, aye, we had the lock picked and I was about to go aloft when you arrived with your little snickersnee, curse you, and then that damned sergeant and his sentries, and we had to shoot our way clear, and lost two good men - one of 'em your pal Gunther, you'll be desolated to learn.

    Watershed 2010

  • “It is a good deal like a mole: You know the mole is there; you see where he has made the hole and the hump in the ground where he has crawled; but if you jab a ‘snickersnee’ into the hole, he may not be there.”

    Colossus Michael Hiltzik 2010

  • It was a wicked-looking blue chicken with a third eye bursting through its forehead—a chicken with twelve claws, all of which clutched instruments of death: daggers, swords, deep-fry baskets, meat tenderizers, and a snickersnee.

    Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware M. T. Andreson 2009

  • It was a wicked-looking blue chicken with a third eye bursting through its forehead—a chicken with twelve claws, all of which clutched instruments of death: daggers, swords, deep-fry baskets, meat tenderizers, and a snickersnee.

    Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware M. T. Andreson 2009

  • It was a wicked-looking blue chicken with a third eye bursting through its forehead—a chicken with twelve claws, all of which clutched instruments of death: daggers, swords, deep-fry baskets, meat tenderizers, and a snickersnee.

    Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware M. T. Andreson 2009

  • It was a wicked-looking blue chicken with a third eye bursting through its forehead—a chicken with twelve claws, all of which clutched instruments of death: daggers, swords, deep-fry baskets, meat tenderizers, and a snickersnee.

    Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware M. T. Andreson 2009

  • Otto, indeed, had convulsively grasped his snickersnee, with intent to plunge it into the heart of the Rowski; but his politer feelings overcame him.

    Burlesques 2006

  • Otto, indeed, had convulsively grasped his snickersnee, with intent to plunge it into the heart of the Rowski; but his politer feelings overcame him.

    A Legend of the Rhine 2006

  • The scratchy snickersnee swoosh produced by the swift separation of metal teeth was a sound more ominous to both men than any hiss or shriek or howl that might emanate from the unknown forest.

    Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates Robbins, Tom 2000

Comments

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  • Oh, never shall I

    Forget the cry,

    Or the shriek that shrieked he,

    As I gnashed my teeth,

    When from its sheath

    I drew my snickersnee!

    -- The Mikado

    August 21, 2008

  • They must be very cute knife-fights.

    August 21, 2008

  • I don't know; the vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

    August 21, 2008

  • Among many paths to your victory
    The tried and most true is trickery.
    Earn first his trust
    Then subtly thrust
    By slickly inserting your snickersnee.

    January 5, 2015

  • I see a which see!

    January 24, 2024

  • Got it! Thanks, bilby.

    January 24, 2024