Definitions

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

  • noun An implement consisting of a long, curved single-edged blade with a long bent handle, used for mowing or reaping.
  • transitive verb To cut with or as if with a scythe.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make a curving movement like that of a scythe, in mowing.
  • To mow; cut with a scythe, or as with a scythe.
  • To arm or furnish with a scythe or scythes.
  • noun An instrument used in mowing or reaping, consisting of a long curving blade with a sharp edge, made fast at an angle to a handle or snath, which is bent into a convenient form for swinging the blade to advantage.
  • noun A curved sharp blade anciently attached to the wheels of some war-chariots.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An instrument for mowing grass, grain, or the like, by hand, composed of a long, curving blade, with a sharp edge, made fast to a long handle, called a snath, which is bent into a form convenient for use.
  • noun (Antiq.) A scythe-shaped blade attached to ancient war chariots.
  • transitive verb obsolete To cut with a scythe; to cut off as with a scythe; to mow.

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

  • noun An instrument for mowing grass, grain, or the like, by hand, composed of a long, curving blade, with the concave edge sharped, made fast to a long handle, called a snath, which is bent into a form convenient for use.
  • noun A scythe-shaped blade attached to ancient war chariots.
  • verb To cut with a scythe; to cut off as with a scythe; to mow.

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

  • verb cut with a scythe
  • noun an edge tool for cutting grass; has a long handle that must be held with both hands and a curved blade that moves parallel to the ground

Etymologies

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

[Middle English sithe, from Old English sīthe, sickle; see sek- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sythe or sithe, from Old English sīðe ("sickle"). The silent c appeared in the early 15th century because it was wrongly thought that the word was linked to Latin scissor ("carver, cutter") and scindere ("to cut").

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Examples

  • The good senator knows once he steps down the black shrouded being with the scythe is waiting for him.

    Byrd returns to the Senate 2009

  • It was called a scythe, an ancient, curved blade, rusted and nicked but still sharp as hell, affixed to the end of a grip with enough bend in it and enough knobs on it so a fellow could get behind it with his weight and strength and swing.

    A Bob Lee Swagger eBook Boxed Set Stephen Hunter 2009

  • It was called a scythe, an ancient, curved blade, rusted and nicked but still sharp as hell, affixed to the end of a grip with enough bend in it and enough knobs on it so a fellow could get behind it with his weight and strength and swing.

    A Bob Lee Swagger eBook Boxed Set Stephen Hunter 2009

  • It was called a scythe, an ancient, curved blade, rusted and nicked but still sharp as hell, affixed to the end of a grip with enough bend in it and enough knobs on it so a fellow could get behind it with his weight and strength and swing.

    A Bob Lee Swagger eBook Boxed Set Stephen Hunter 2009

  • Death's scythe is made use of to gather them to their people.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721

  • Â Having his Black Lantern as part of a Grim Reaper scythe is truly inspired, and even if you don’t know who he is (as most of today’s readers seem not to) you can tell that he’s bad news.

    Review: Blackest Night #4 | Major Spoilers - Comic Book Reviews and News 2009

  • Nearly starved to death, she attacks and kills a pig-like creature, only to find that it was being trailed by a pack of what I can only describe as scythe-handed velociraptors with razor-sharp fangs.

    Green Lantern #19 | Major Spoilers - Comic Book Reviews and News 2009

  • Outwitting the man with the scythe is a universal activity.

    Archive 2006-04-01 fusenumber8 2006

  • The silent whisper of the scythe was the only sound he heard, gasping like the laboring death-rattle of a dying person.

    And Other Tales Of Valdemar Lackey, Mercedes 1997

  • It wasn't that the idea was frightening, though indeed it was frightening that a man should sell his soul to a green-eyed man with a scythe, which is what circumstances were trying very hard to suggest had happened.

    The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul Adams, Douglas, 1952- 1988

Comments

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  • "She handed him a shovel, rake, scythe, and a pair of gloves..." The Shack by WM Paul

    October 1, 2010