dagger

IPA/ˈdæɡə(r)/
KK[dˈæɡɚ]IPA/ˈdæɡər/

dagger — noun

  • daggersingular
  • daggersplural

1. a weapon meant for stabbing, consisting of a short, sharply pointed metal blade

1.nounB2
Definition

a weapon meant for stabbing, consisting of a short, sharply pointed metal blade attached to a handle.

Example

Rafael pulled a dagger from his belt and held it up to the candlelight.

pull a dagger from [place/container]

The museum displayed a medieval dagger with a carved ivory handle.

Common collocations
  • draw a dagger
  • pull a dagger
  • plunge a dagger
  • dagger blade
  • dagger sheath
Synonyms
  • knife

    a broader term for any cutting blade; dagger is a specific type of knife designed for stabbing

  • blade

    can refer to the cutting part of a dagger or to a dagger itself in informal use

  • stiletto

    a very narrow, thin dagger, typically used for thrusting rather than slashing

  • dirk

    a long dagger historically carried by Scottish Highlanders

Grammar Patterns

a + dagger

dagger + noun (attributive)

2. the symbol †, which appears in books or articles to send readers to a short expl

2.nounC1
Definition

the symbol †, which appears in books or articles to send readers to a short explanation at the foot of the page, or to show that a person has died.

Example

The writer placed a dagger after the word 'see' to show where the footnote was.

place a dagger after [word]

In the old encyclopedia, a dagger next to a name meant that person had died.

Common collocations
  • place a dagger
  • dagger symbol
  • marked with a dagger
Synonyms
  • obelisk

    the formal name of the † symbol; 'dagger' is far more common in everyday publishing

Grammar Patterns

a/the + dagger

place a dagger

Usage Note

The dagger is commonly used as a second-level reference mark, appearing after the asterisk (*) in a series of footnotes.

Common Mistakes

The asterisk and the dagger are the same symbol.
The asterisk (*) and the dagger (†) are different symbols.
The dagger looks like a cross or a plus sign with a handle, not a star-like shape.
Idioms

at daggers drawn

idiom

in a state of open hostility or strong disagreement with someone, often lasting for a long time.

The two neighbours have been at daggers drawn over the fence ever since last summer.

The directors were at daggers drawn during the meeting, each refusing to accept the other's budget plan.

look daggers

idiom

to stare at someone with very strong anger or dislike, usually without saying anything.

Jenna looked daggers at her brother when he spilled juice on her homework.

When the waiter brought the wrong dish, the customer looked daggers at him from across the table.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to cutting or stabbing tools, but they differ in shape and use. 'Knife' is the broadest term — it covers everything from a butter knife to a hunting knife, and a dagger is a particular type of knife designed for stabbing rather than slicing. 'Blade' can refer to the sharp metal part of any cutting tool, but in informal or literary language it also stands for the whole weapon ('a cold blade pressed against his throat'). 'Stiletto' names a very narrow, thin dagger with a needle-like point, made for thrusting into tight gaps — it is less common than 'dagger' and more specialised. 'Dirk' is a long, straight dagger associated with the Scottish Highlands and historical military dress; modern readers may find it unfamiliar outside historical fiction. In everyday conversation, 'dagger' is the clearest choice for a short, pointed stabbing weapon, while 'knife' is safer when the type of blade does not matter.

knife ↗blade ↗stiletto ↗dirk

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dagger attack
  • dagger sheath
  • dagger blade
  • dagger handle

Prepositions

  • with a dagger

Etymology

Vulgar LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dagger' entered English in the 1300s from Middle English 'daggere', possibly borrowed from Old French 'dague' (a short stabbing weapon). The French term may trace further back to Vulgar Latin '*daca', meaning 'a Dacian knife' — the Dacians were an ancient people from the region of modern Romania, known for their curved knives. The typographical sense (the † symbol) appeared in the 1600s, so called because of its resemblance to a small dagger.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1