Adjacent Words

Sickle definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SICKLE, n. [Gr. Vaiclh, Vagclon; L. sicula, from the root of seco, to cut.] A reaping hook; a hooked instrument with teeth; used for cutting grain. Thou shalt not move a sickle to thy neighbor's standing corn. Deutoronomy 23.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an edge tool for cutting grass or crops; has a curved blade and a short handle [syn: sickle, reaping hook, reap hook]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English sikel, from Old English sicol, from Latin secula sickle, from secare to cut — more at saw Date: before 12th century 1. an agricultural implement consisting of a curved metal blade with a short handle fitted on a tang 2. the cutting mechanism (as of a reaper, combine, or mower) consisting of a bar with a series of cutting elements II. adjective Date: 1688 having the form of a sickle blade ; having a curve similar to that of a sickle blade <the sickle moon> III. verb (sickled; sickling) Date: 1922 transitive verb 1. to mow or reap with a sickle 2. to change (a red blood cell) into a sickle cell intransitive verb to change into a sickle cell <the ability of red blood cells to sickle>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a short-handled farming tool with a semicircular blade, used for cutting corn, lopping, or trimming. 2 anything sickle-shaped, esp. the crescent moon. Phrases and idioms: sickle-bill any of various curlews with a sickle-shaped bill. sickle-cell a sickle-shaped blood-cell, esp. as found in a type of severe hereditary anaemia. sickle-feather each of the long middle feathers of a cock's tail. Etymology: OE sicol, sicel f. L secula f. secare cut

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sickle Sic"kle, n. [OE. sikel, AS. sicol; akin to D. sikkel, G. sichel, OHG. sihhila, Dan. segel, segl, L. secula, fr. secare to cut; or perhaps from L. secula. See Saw a cutting instrument.] 1. A reaping instrument consisting of a steel blade curved into the form of a hook, and having a handle fitted on a tang. The sickle has one side of the blade notched, so as always to sharpen with a serrated edge. Cf. Reaping hook, under Reap. When corn has once felt the sickle, it has no more benefit from the sunshine. --Shak. 2. (Astron.) A group of stars in the constellation Leo. See Illust. of Leo. Sickle pod (Bot.), a kind of rock cress (Arabis Canadensis) having very long curved pods.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sickles) A sickle is a tool that is used for cutting grass and grain crops. It has a short handle and a long curved blade. N-COUNT

Easton's Bible Dictionary

of the Egyptians resembled that in modern use. The ears of corn were cut with it near the top of the straw. There was also a sickle used for warlike purposes, more correctly, however, called a pruning-hook (Deut. 16:9; Jer. 50:16, marg., "scythe;" Joel 3:13; Mark 4:29).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sik'-'l (chermesh (De 16:9; 23:25), maggal; compare Arabic minjal (Jer 50:16; Joe 3:13); drepanon (Mr 4:29; Re 14:14-19)): Although the ancients pulled much of their grain by hand, we know that they also used sickles. The form of this instrument varied, as is evidenced by the Egyptian sculptures. The earliest sickle was probably of wood, shaped like the modern scythe, although much smaller, with the cutting edge made of sharp flints set into the wood. Sickle flints were found at Tel el-Chesy. Crescent-shaped iron sickles were found in the same mound. In Palestine and Syria the sickle varies in size. It is usually made wholly of iron or steel and shaped much like the instrument used in western lands. The smaller-sized sickles are used both for pruning and for reaping.

James A. Patch

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Reaping-hook.