dagger

noun

dag·​ger ˈda-gər How to pronounce dagger (audio)
1
: a sharp pointed knife for stabbing
2
a
: something that resembles a dagger
b
: a character † used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date
daggerlike adjective
Phrases
at daggers drawn
: in a state of open hostility or conflict
look daggers or stare daggers
: to stare angrily
they looked daggers at each other across the table

Examples of dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Miles McBride, who averages 6.5 points per game and had started nine career games before Monday, played 47 minutes and dropped a career-high 29 — including a dagger 3 over Draymond Green. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 Some of his favorites include a Spanish cup-hilt rapier, a defensive left-hand dagger from the 15th century, and a Napoleonic cavalry saber. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2024 The Aztecs were on the verge of suffering one of those knee-wobbling losses, the kind at this point in the season would drive a dagger into conference title hopes. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2024 And, indeed, senior Padilla had provided the dagger, a fearless 3-pointer in the waning couple of minutes that eventually helped secure the win. Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 25 Jan. 2024 While searching a Polish forest in November, a metal detectorist made a rare discovery: a 4,000-year-old copper dagger that may have belonged to an elite warrior. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 Her only tools are a brass dagger stitched into her bodice and a filigreed orb that serves as a lamp. Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Archaeologists identified the artifact as an extremely rare 4,000-year-old dagger. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 Lily Hansford’s consecutive 3-pointers were the daggers although Oregon did pull within one possession in the final 30 seconds. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dagger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dagger was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dagger

Cite this Entry

“Dagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dagger. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dagger

noun
dag·​ger ˈdag-ər How to pronounce dagger (audio)
1
: a short weapon for stabbing
2
: a symbol † used in printing as a reference mark to indicate a death date
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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