The AI-powered English dictionary
plural scissors
(countable, usually construed as plural) A tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed. quotations examples
Roses will last longer if a knife rather than a scissors is used to cut the blooms.
1947 June 22, “Around the Garden”, in New York Times
(uncountable, aviation, military, with the) A type of defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving repeatedly turning one's aircraft towards that of the attacker in order to force them to overshoot.
(countable, aviation, military) An instance of the above dogfighting maneuver.
(countable, rugby) An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side. examples
(countable, skating) A method of skating with one foot significantly in front of the other. examples
(countable, gymnastics) An exercise in which the legs are switched back and forth, suggesting the motion of scissors. examples
(countable, wrestling) A scissors hold. examples
(rock paper scissors) A hand with the index and middle fingers open (a handshape resembling scissors), that beats paper and loses to rock. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock. examples
(rare) plural of scissor
third-person singular simple present scissorses, present participle scissorsing, simple past and past participle scissorsed
(transitive) Rare form of scissor (“To cut using, or as if using, scissors.”). quotations examples
She found her in the dining-room with Ann Foster, the little dressmaker, who was endeavouring to scissors through the right side of her underlip with her teeth as proof that the compiling of a list of requisites was no tax to her.
1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 175
third-person singular simple present indicative of scissor examples
(dated) Cry of anguish or frustration. quotations examples
Say, wouldn’t it put your eye out to get a letter from one of the kiddies with the thumb‐prints of that crest not doing a thing but snuggling down in the wax on the envelope? Oh, scissors!
1909, Edward Waterman Townsend, chapter II, in The Climbing Courvatels, New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, page 30
“Scissors!” he shouted and stuck his finger in his mouth.
1911, William Caine, chapter XIV, in The Revolt at Roskelly’s, New York & London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, page 270
Then sit down—make yourself at home. Ah, scissors.
1913, Richard Claude Carton, Public Opinion: A Farce in Three Acts, London: Samuel French, Ltd., page 81