dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈda-gər 

1

: a sharp pointed knife for stabbing

2

a

: something that resembles a dagger

b

: a character † used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date

daggerlike

ˈda-gər-ˌlīk 

adjective

Phrases

at daggers drawn

: in a state of open hostility or conflict

look daggers or stare daggers

: to stare angrily

they looked daggers at each other across the table

Examples of dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The dagger came when Jackson Rowe knocked down a corner 3-pointer on a drive-and-kick pass from Spencer, making the score 88-83 with 55 seconds remaining. —Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024

Two ancient daggers and a 19th-century ring were discovered, the organization said in a July 9 Facebook post. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 11 July 2024

Archaeologists recently unearthed a rare 2,000-year-old dagger in Kazakhstan, officials said. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 July 2024

His financial corruption is impeachable too, but that at least doesn’t strike a dagger into the heart of our democracy as maliciously as this case will. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dagger

• cloak-and-dagger
• double dagger

Kids Definition

dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈdag-ər 

1

: a short weapon for stabbing

2

: a symbol † used in printing as a reference mark to indicate a death date