Snickersnee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Snickersnee is a slang term referring to a large knife. The term has died out of common usage but can be found some of the artistic works of the late 19^th century. It originated as a Dutch phrase steake or snye referring to hand-to-hand knife combat. By the time the phrase had morphed into snickersnee, the word referred to the knife itself.

[edit] Examples of usage

• Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado

"As he squirmed and struggled

and gurgled and guggled

I drew my snickersnee"

• Anecdotal evidence attributes librettist W. S. Gilbert's inspiration for the Mikado to a snickersnee he owned.
• William Thackeray's Burlesque

"Otto, indeed, had convulsively grasped his snickersnee, with intent to plunge it into the heart of Rowski..."

[edit] References

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-sni1.htm
http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50229152