bayonet

From French baïonnette, named after the French town of Bayonne.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbeɪə(ʊ)nɨt/, /ˈbeɪə(ʊ)nɛt/, /ˈbeɪə(ʊ)ˈnɛt/
• (General American) enPR: bā'ə-nĕtʹ, bāʹə-nĭt, bāʹə-nĕt', IPA^(key): /ˌbeɪəˈnɛt/, /ˈbeɪənɪ̈t/, /ˈbeɪəˌnɛt/
• Rhymes: -ɛt, -eɪənɪt, -eɪənət

bayonet (plural bayonets)

1. (military) A pointed instrument of the dagger kind fitted on the muzzle of a musket or rifle, so as to give the soldier increased means of offence and defence. Originally, the bayonet was made with a handle, which required to be fitted into the bore of the musket after the soldier had fired.
   • 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page xvi:

     Fig. 3. Its bayonet, to be fixed by sticking the handle into the muzzle of the musquet.

2. (engineering) A pin which plays in and out of holes made to receive it, and which thus serves to engage or disengage parts of the machinery.

• knife
• spear
• sword

bayonet (third-person singular simple present bayonets, present participle bayoneting or bayonetting, simple past and past participle bayoneted or bayonetted)

1. (transitive) To stab with a bayonet.
2. (transitive) To compel or drive by the bayonet.
   • Burke

     to bayonet us into submission

The spelling bayoneting and bayoneted are preferred in the US, while bayonetting and bayonetted are preferred in the UK.

• Oytaben

From Dutch bajonet.

bayonet (plural bayonet-bayonet, first-person possessive bayonetku, second-person possessive bayonetmu, third-person possessive bayonetnya)

1. bayonet