knife-edge
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.24 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A small piece of metal, usually steel, sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the fulcrum of a pendulum, scalebeam, or other piece required to oscillate with minimal friction.
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: the edge of a knife.
Example Sentences
- "Again, as the pendulum was provided with sharp knife-edges on opposite sides near its upper end, shaped like a V, on which it swung, the greater the weight of the pendulum the more wear there would be on these knife-edges."
- "The game was on a knife-edge."
- "[…]meanwhile, Biloxi and Vincennes are both in the process of going down and being abandoned, whilst Miami is right on the knife-edge of being recoverable, with three destroyers clustering around offering pumping and additional damage-control crews to try and keep the light cruiser afloat."
- "Boris Johnson's future on a knife edge after No 10 party apology [title]"
- "Polling stations have opened in a knife-edge election in Finland, with polls suggesting the three leading parties are running neck-and-neck and prime minister Sanna Marin may face an uphill battle to stay in power."
Inflected Forms
Phrases
knife-edge file
knife-edge effect