Table knife

Table knife

A table knife is an item of cutlery, part of a table setting. Table knives are typically of moderate sharpness only, designed to cut only prepared and cooked food. They are usually made of stainless steel and may be ornate, often having handles of bone, wood or (less commonly now) ivory.

The distinguishing feature of a table knife is a blunt or rounded end. The origin of this, and thus of the table knife itself, is attributed by tradition to Cardinal Richelieu around 1637, reputedly to cure dinner guests of the unsavoury habit of picking their teeth with their knife-points. [http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/05/dayintech_0513]

In any table setting, the knife will typically be the piece to bear the maker's stamp, on the blade. The English city of Sheffield is noted for its cutlery manufactury and many knives bear the city's name in addition to the maker's.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • table knife — noun a knife used for eating at dining table • Hypernyms: ↑knife, ↑cutlery, ↑eating utensil • Hyponyms: ↑butter knife, ↑case knife, ↑fish knife, ↑steak knife * * * …   Useful english dictionary

  • table knife — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms table knife : singular table knife plural table knives a knife used with a fork for eating meat or vegetables …   English dictionary

  • table knife — ta·ble knife || teɪbl‚naɪf eating utensil used for cutting food …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Knife — (n[imac]f), n.; pl. {Knives} (n[imac]vz). [OE. knif, AS. cn[=i]f; akin to D. knijf, Icel. kn[=i]fr, 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Knife grass — Knife Knife (n[imac]f), n.; pl. {Knives} (n[imac]vz). [OE. knif, AS. cn[=i]f; akin to D. knijf, Icel. kn[=i]fr, 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Knife — A knife is a handheld sharp edged instrument consisting of handle attached to a blade used for cutting. The knife is a tool that can be used as a weapon. Its origins date as far back as two and a half million years ago, as evidenced by the… …   Wikipedia

  • table — n. & v. n. 1 a piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs, providing a level surface for eating, writing, or working at, playing games on, etc. 2 a flat surface serving a specified purpose (altar table; bird table). 3 a food provided …   Useful english dictionary

  • knife — n. & v. n. (pl. knives) 1 a a metal blade used as a cutting tool with usu. one long sharp edge fixed rigidly in a handle or hinged (cf. PENKNIFE). b a similar tool used as a weapon. 2 a cutting blade forming part of a machine. 3 (as the knife) a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Knife —    1) Heb. hereb, the waster, a sharp instrument for circumcision (Josh. 5:2, 3, lit. knives of flint; comp. Ex. 4:25); a razor (Ezek. 5:1); a graving tool (Ex. 20:25); an axe (Ezek. 26:9).    2) Heb. maakeleth, a large knife for slaughtering and …   Easton's Bible Dictionary

  • Table saw — A table saw, equipped for cutting large pieces of sheet stock. Other names Sawbench Classification Power tool Manufacturer Bosch, Makita …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”