poniard

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from French poignard, from poing (“fist”), from Old French, from Latin pūgnus (“fist”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peuk-.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɒnjəd/, /ˈpɒnjɑːd/

Noun

poniard (plural poniards)

  1. (now chiefly historical) A dagger typically having a slender square or triangular blade.
    • c. 1601, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, V.1:
      The sir King ha's wag'd with him six Barbary horses, / against the which he impon'd as I take it, sixe French / Rapiers and Poniards, with their assignes, as Girdle, / Hangers or so […].
    • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 29, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
      A Poynard is more sure to wound a man, which forsomuch as it requireth more motion and vigor of the arme, than a pistol, it's stroke is more subject to be hindred or avoyded.
    • 1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner:
      On this occasion I said nothing, but concealing his poniard in my clothes, I hasted up the mountain, determined to execute my purpose […].

Translations

Verb

poniard (third-person singular simple present poniards, present participle poniarding, simple past and past participle poniarded)

  1. To stab with a poniard.

References

Anagrams
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