scythe

SYTH

Scythe (noun) means a hand tool with a long curved blade on a long handle, used for cutting grass or grain. Example: “The farmer swung his scythe rhythmically across the field of wheat.”

noun

A hand tool with a long curved blade on a long handle, used for cutting grass or grain.

"The farmer swung his scythe rhythmically across the field of wheat."

verb

To cut grass or grain using a scythe, or to cut through something in a similar sweeping motion.

"He scythed the overgrown meadow before the fete."

"The car scythed through the crowd of parked bicycles."

How to use scythe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA long-handled curved-blade tool for mowing, often pictured being carried by the personification of Death ("the Grim Reaper").

Common pairings

wield a scythe scythe through

Word forms

scythed past tense, scythes plural, scythes singular

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The farmer swung his _____ rhythmically across the field of wheat.

Etymology

From Old English sithe/sigthe ("sickle"), related to the Proto-Germanic root for "saw." The spelling with a silent "c" was added later by mistaken association with Latin scindere ("to cut").

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for scythe

Blythe Smythe Forsythe

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Frequently asked questions

What does “scythe” mean?

The word “scythe” means a hand tool with a long curved blade on a long handle, used for cutting grass or grain. In plain terms, a long-handled curved-blade tool for mowing, often pictured being carried by the personification of Death ("the Grim Reaper").

How do you pronounce “scythe”?

“Scythe” is pronounced SYTH (/ˈsaɪð/ in IPA).

How do you use “scythe” in a sentence?

Here is “scythe” used in a sentence: “The farmer swung his scythe rhythmically across the field of wheat.”

What part of speech is “scythe”?

Depending on how it is used, “scythe” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “scythe” come from?

The word “scythe” comes from Latin. From Old English sithe/sigthe ("sickle"), related to the Proto-Germanic root for "saw." The spelling with a silent "c" was added later by mistaken association with Latin scindere ("to cut").

How many meanings does “scythe” have?

“Scythe” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hand tool with a long curved blade on a long handle, used for cutting grass or grain.

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B2 vocabulary words