scissors

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English

an assortment of scissors

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English sisours, sisoures (attested since 1350–1400), from Old French cisoires, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Vulgar Latin *cīsōria, plural of (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Late Latin cīsōrium (“cutting tool”) (compare chisel); from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or caesus, past participle of caedō (“to cut”).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈsɪzəz/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: sĭzʹərz, IPA(key): /ˈsɪzɚz/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪzə(r)z

Noun

scissors (plural scissors)

  1. (countable, usually construed as plural) A tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed.
    Those scissors are sharp.
    (indicating singular or plural scissors)
    That scissors is sharp.
    (less commonly to indicate singular scissors)
    Scissors are used to cut the flowers.
    Use a scissors to cut them if you don't have proper shears.
    • 1947 June 22, “Around the Garden”, in New York Times:
      Roses will last longer if a knife rather than a scissors is used to cut the blooms.
  2. (countable, rugby) An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side.
    They executed a perfect scissors.
  3. (countable, skating) A method of skating with one foot significantly in front of the other.
  4. (countable, gymnastics) An exercise in which the legs are switched back and forth, suggesting the motion of scissors.
  5. (countable, wrestling) A scissors hold.
  6. (rock paper scissors) A hand with the index and middle fingers open (a handshape resembling scissors), that beats paper and is loses to rock. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

scissors

  1. (rare) plural of scissor

Usage notes

  • "A pair of scissors" is preferred to "a scissors" by about a four-to-one margin in the US (COCA).
  • "The scissors" is preferred to "the scissor" by about a thirty-to-one margin in the US (COCA).

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

scissors

  1. third-person singular simple present indicative of scissor
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