Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary

knife noun

¹ tool for cutting

ADJ. blunt, sharp | long | bone, bone-handled, silver, steel | bread, butcher's, carving, craft, fish, flick, hunting, kitchen, palette, pocket, sheath, Stanley(R), surgeon's, table

QUANT. set a set of kitchen knives

VERB + KNIFE pick up She picked up her knife and fork and started to eat. | lay down, put down | use Use a sharp knife to cut away the spare pastry. | sharpen | hold

KNIFE + VERB cut That knife doesn't cut very well?it needs sharpening. | clatter

KNIFE + NOUN blade, handle

PREP. with a/the ~ The lines can be cut with a craft knife.

PHRASES the blade of a knife, the handle of a knife, a knife and fork

² used as a weapon

ADJ. long, sharp

VERB + KNIFE be armed with, carry, have She carries a knife in her bag now. | brandish, wield | draw (out), produce, pull (out), take out He suddenly pulled a knife on me. | come at sb with, stab sb with, threaten sb with She stabbed him in the back with a 12-inch knife. | plunge, push, put, stick He plunged the knife deep into her heart. | sharpen, whet

KNIFE + VERB cut | clatter As he fell, the knife clattered to the floor.

KNIFE + NOUN attack a frenzied knife attack | wound | blade

PREP. with a/the ~

PHRASES the blade of a knife, the hilt of a knife, hold a knife against/at/to sb's throat, a knife in sb's heart (figurative) Each word he uttered was a knife in her heart. | put a knife to sb's throat She put the knife to his throat to frighten him into silence.