blade
blayd
Blade (noun) means the flat, sharp-edged cutting part of a knife, sword, or similar tool. Example: “Be careful, the blade of that knife is extremely sharp.”
noun
1
The flat, sharp-edged cutting part of a knife, sword, or similar tool.
"Be careful, the blade of that knife is extremely sharp."
"He sharpened the knife's blade before carving the turkey."
"The old sword had a rusted but still dangerous blade."
2
A flat, thin part shaped like a cutting blade, such as of a fan, propeller, oar, or grass.
"The boat's oar had a wide blade that cut cleanly through the water."
"A single blade of grass tickled her ankle."
"One of the fan blades had cracked and needed replacing."
verb
1
To skate using inline skates ("rollerblades").
"On Saturdays he likes to blade along the seafront with his sister."
"We learned to blade backwards at the skating club."
"The kids spent the afternoon blading around the park."
How to use blade
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe sharp, flat cutting part of a tool or weapon, or any similarly flat, thin part.
Common pairings
knife blade
razor blade
blade of grass
propeller blade
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- blades
- Past tense
- bladed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Be careful, the _____ of that knife is extremely sharp.
Etymology
From Old English blæd, originally meaning "leaf" — the flat shape of a leaf and a cutting blade were seen as similar.
Related words
Rhymes for blade
See all rhymes for blade →Frequently asked questions
What does “blade” mean?
The word “blade” means the flat, sharp-edged cutting part of a knife, sword, or similar tool. In plain terms, the sharp, flat cutting part of a tool or weapon, or any similarly flat, thin part.
How do you pronounce “blade”?
“Blade” is pronounced blayd (/bleɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “blade” in a sentence?
Here is “blade” used in a sentence: “He sharpened the knife's blade before carving the turkey.”
What part of speech is “blade”?
Depending on how it is used, “blade” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “blade” come from?
The word “blade” comes from Old English. From Old English blæd, originally meaning "leaf" — the flat shape of a leaf and a cutting blade were seen as similar.
Is “blade” a common word?
“Blade” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “blade” have?
“Blade” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the flat, sharp-edged cutting part of a knife, sword, or similar tool.
What is the difference between a blade and an edge?
A blade is the whole flat, sharp-edged cutting part of a knife, sword, or similar tool. The edge is specifically the sharpened line along the blade that does the cutting, so the edge is one part of the blade.
Why is a single piece of grass called a blade of grass?
Blade can mean a flat, thin part shaped like a cutting blade, and a slender leaf of grass has just this flat, narrow form. This is why a single leaf of grass is traditionally called a blade of grass.
What are the different things a blade can refer to?
Blade has two main senses: the sharp cutting part of a knife, sword, or tool, and any flat, thin part shaped like one, such as the blade of a fan, propeller, oar, or a blade of grass. The shared idea is a flat, thin form.
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