sickle

3 definitions found

sickle - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sickle \Sic"kle\, n. [OE. sikel, AS. sicol; akin to D. sikkel,
     G. sichel, OHG. sihhila, Dan. segel, segl, L. secula, fr.
     secare to cut; or perhaps from L. secula. See Saw a cutting
     instrument.]
     1. A reaping instrument consisting of a steel blade curved
        into the form of a hook, and having a handle fitted on a
        tang. The sickle has one side of the blade notched, so as
        always to sharpen with a serrated edge. Cf. Reaping  hook
        , under Reap.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When corn has once felt the sickle, it has no more
              benefit from the sunshine.            --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Astron.) A group of stars in the constellation Leo. See
        Illust. of Leo.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Sickle pod (Bot.), a kind of rock cress (Arabis  Canadensis
        ) having very long curved pods.
        [1913 Webster]

sickle - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sickle
      n 1: an edge tool for cutting grass or crops; has a curved blade
           and a short handle [syn: sickle, reaping hook, reap hook
           ]

sickle - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Sickle
  of the Egyptians resembled that in modern use. The ears of corn
  were cut with it near the top of the straw. There was also a
  sickle used for warlike purposes, more correctly, however,
  called a pruning-hook (Deut. 16:9; Jer. 50:16, marg., "scythe;"
  Joel 3:13; Mark 4:29).