Jackknife
WordNet
noun
(1) A dive in which the diver bends to touch the ankles before straightening out
(2) A large knife with one or more folding blades
verb
(3) Dive into the water bending the body at the waist at a right angle, like a jackknife
WiktionaryText
Noun
- A compact folding knife.
- He kept a jack-knife in his pocket for various tasks.
- The front-dive pike, in which the body folds and unfolds.
- It took me hundreds of dives to master even the simple jackknife
- A semi-trailer truck accident in which the vehicle mimics the closing of a jack-knife.
- I have seen several jack-knives along that dangerous stretch of road.
See also
- clasp-knife
- flick knife
- penknife
- pocketknife, pocket knife
- Swiss Army knife
- switchblade
Verb
- To fold in the middle, as a jackknife does.
- The cat jackknifed in the air and landed gracefully on its feet.
- To cause a semi-trailer truck to fold like a jackknife in a traffic accident.
- Before I knew what was happening, I'd jack-knifed the rig like nobody's business.
- Before I knew what was happening, I'd jack-knifed like nobody's business.