| knife | Origin: OE. Knif, AS. Cnif; akin to D. Knijf, Icel. Knifr, Sw. Knif, Dan. Kniv. 1. An instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife, drawing knife, putty knife, pallet knife, pocketknife, penknife, chopping knife, etc. /as>. 2. A sword or dagger. "The coward conquest of a wretch's knife. <botany>" (Shak) Knife grass a tropical American sedge (Scleria latifolia), having leaves with a very sharp and hard edge, like a knife. War to the knife, mortal combat; a conflict carried to the last extremity. 1. <botany> To prune with the knife. 2. To cut or stab with a knife. Origin: Knifed; Knifing. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| knife needle | A very narrow, needle-pointed knife used in discission of a cataract. Synonym: cataract needle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knife-rest crystal | A crystal of ammoniomagnesium phosphate found in alkaline urine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knifeedge | <mechanics> A piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction. Knife-edge file. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| amputation knife | A broad-bladed knife used primarily for transecting large muscles during major amputations. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| Beer's knife | A triangular knife with a sharp point and one sharp edge, formerly used for incision for cataract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| valvotomy knife | A knife used in mitral or venous valvular surgery; also called valvulotome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| gamma knife | <radiobiology> A special multi-source irradiation machine which focus a high intesity of irradiation on a small area: it is used as local therapy in especially brain tumours. This is investigational and is not part of the routine array of cancer treatments. (16 Dec 1997) |
| gamma ray knife | A beam of high energy X-rays. See: radiosurgery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cartilage knife | A very stiff scalpel-shaped knife used in cutting cartilage. Synonym: cartilage knife, ecchondrotome. Origin: chondro-+ G. Tome, cutting (05 Mar 2000) |
| cautery knife | A knife that sears while cutting, to diminish bleeding. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Graefe's knife | A narrow-bladed knife used in making a section of the cornea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chemical knife | Term sometimes used for restriction endonuclease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Merrifield knife | A long, narrow, triangularly shaped knife used in gingival surgery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ring-knife | A circular or oval ring with internal cutting edge, on the model of the carpenter's spoke-shave, for shaving off tumours in the nasal and other cavities. Synonym: spoke-shave. (05 Mar 2000) |
| clasp-knife effect | Initial increased resistance to stretch of the extensor muscles of a joint that give way rather suddenly allowing the joint then to be easily flexed; the rigidity is due to an exaggeration of the stretch reflex. See: lengthening reaction. Synonym: clasp-knife effect, clasp-knife rigidity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| clasp-knife rigidity | Initial increased resistance to stretch of the extensor muscles of a joint that give way rather suddenly allowing the joint then to be easily flexed; the rigidity is due to an exaggeration of the stretch reflex. See: lengthening reaction. Synonym: clasp-knife effect, clasp-knife rigidity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| clasp-knife spasticity | Initial increased resistance to stretch of the extensor muscles of a joint that give way rather suddenly allowing the joint then to be easily flexed; the rigidity is due to an exaggeration of the stretch reflex. See: lengthening reaction. Synonym: clasp-knife effect, clasp-knife rigidity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cooled-knife method | The cutting of frozen sections with a knife cooled to a few degrees below the freezing point. (05 Mar 2000) |