1. A dagger or short sword (KNIFE sb. 1 b) used by huntsmen for cutting up the game, or generally as a weapon. arch. or Hist.
1426. E. E. Wills (1882), 76. A swerd harnesed, a wodeknyf harnesed, and a Dagger.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XVIII. xxi. 764. They were shoters, and coude wel kylle a dere … and they dayly bare bowes and arowes, hornes & wood knyues.
1568. Fulwell, Like Will to Like, E ij b. Come no neer me you knaues for your life. Lest I stick you bothe with this woodknife.
1611. Cotgr., Malcus, a Fauchion, Hangar, Wood-knife.
a. 1650. Boy & Mantle, xxxviii. in Child, Ballads, I. 273/2. He pulld forth a wood kniffe,… He brought in the bores head.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., III. xxvi. 212. He drew his woodknife and hit the priest on the head.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxxiv. The gay baldric, which sustained a bugle-horn, and a wood-knife instead of a sword.
1867. Morris, Jason, I. 83. The wood-knife at the side.
2. A large knife for cutting off branches or twigs.
1880. C. R. Markham, Peruv. Bark, vii. 54. The cateador … conducted the party for hours through the tangled brushwood,… using the wood-knife at every step.
