bodkin

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: Bodkin

English

[edit]
The Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife, a modern-day dagger (4)
A bodkin arrowhead (5)

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English boydekin (dagger), apparently from *boyde, *boide (of unknown [Celtic?] origin) + -kin. Cognate with Scots botkin, boitkin, boikin (bodkin).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

bodkin (plural bodkins)

  1. A small sharp pointed tool for making holes in cloth or leather.
  2. A blunt needle used for threading ribbon or cord through a hem or casing.
    • 2017, Barry R. Harker, It’s Sunday in America[1], →ISBN:
      As with compulsory Sunday worship, death for blasphemy was for the third offence. A bodkin, a large blunt needle, was thrust through the tongue for the second offence.
  3. A hairpin.
    • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXII, in Romance and Reality. [], volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, [], →OCLC, page 533:
      A rich, flushed colour—large black eyes—teeth that shone from their brilliant whiteness—a slender shape—and most minute feet, in such little shoes of Cordova leather—a silver chain round her neck, to which hung a medal of the Madonna—a dark-brown boddice and short skirt, relieved by a lacing of scarlet riband—long black hair, bound in one large plait round the head, and fastened by a silver bodkin.
  4. A dagger.
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 265:
      When he himſelfe might his Quietus make / With a bare Bodkin?
    • 1932, D. H. Lawrence, The Ship of Death:
      And can a man his own quietus make / with a bare bodkin? / With daggers, bodkins, bullets, man can make / a bruise or break of exit for his life; / but is that a quietus, O tell me, is it quietus?
  5. A type of long thin arrowhead.
  6. (printing) A sharp tool, like an awl, formerly used for pressing down individual type characters (e.g. letters) from a column or page in making corrections.

Derived terms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]

Adverb

[edit]

bodkin (not comparable)

  1. Closely wedged between two people.
    to sit bodkin
    • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “In Which Becky Is Recognised by the Family”, in Vanity Fair [], London: Bradbury and Evans [], published 1848, →OCLC, page 366:
      He's too big to travel bodkin between you and me.
    • 1904, Elizabeth von Arnim, The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rügen, MacMillan, published 1904:
      Either he must come between us and be what is known as bodkin, or some one must get out and walk; and the bodkin solution not commending itself to me it was plain that if some one walked it must be myself.
    • 2018, Delphi Complete Works of R. S. Surtees (Illustrated)
      Moreover, Mr. Jorrocks insisted upon riding bodkin — a very awkward-sized bodkin he was — especially as he would have all three to sit back, so that the conversation might be general.

Further reading

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]