kniving

English

Etymology 1

Inflected form of knive.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /naɪvɪŋ/[1]

Verb

kniving

  1. present participle of knive

References

  1. Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (has the lemma knive)

Etymology 2

Possibly from misunderstanding of the spoken word /k(ə)naɪvɪŋ/ as kniving with a pronounced k, perhaps influenced by its semantic associations with backstabbing and knives.

Adjective

kniving (not comparable)

  1. Misconstruction of conniving
    • 2003, Carlton D. Bembry, If I Were a Card: The Things I Would Say, →ISBN, page 13:
      When your so-called friends try to smear your name with their backstabbing and kniving games, look them straight in their eyes and say, I know who I am.
    • 2011, Tommy Anthony, Somewhere Along the Line, →ISBN:
      It was enough that Frederich was a kniving back-stabber who was always working with ...
    • 2011, Juan Crazy, Succubus: Book 1 - Seven Hells, →ISBN, page 361:
      He did not share his Duke's kniving mind, nor lack of morals and he had a good friend aboard one of those boats back across the turbulent sea.

Noun

kniving (uncountable)

  1. Misconstruction of conniving
    • 2012, Ian Archer & ‎Trevor Royle, We'll Support You Evermore, →ISBN:
      What lad seeks to be a cunning politician or avaricious businessman who reaches the peak by stealth and kniving?
    • 2006, Henry Pennier, ‎Keith Thor Carlson, & ‎Kristina Rose Fagan, Call Me Hank, →ISBN, page 87:
      If I had a Indian in the car and also a sealed bottle of whiskey or a sealed case of beer and a cop stops me on a routine check I would be charged with kniving which has several meanings like the intention of giving him a drink sooner or later.
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