jack-knife

Definitions

1. 1

   A compact folding knife.

   • He kept a jack-knife in his pocket for various tasks.
2. 2

   The front-dive pike, in which the body folds and unfolds.

   • It took me hundreds of dives to master even the simple jackknife.
3. 3

   An abdominal exercise where knees and torso are raised from a lying position.

4. ›+ 5 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      A semi-trailer truck accident in which the vehicle mimics the closing of a jack-knife.

      • I have seen several jack-knives along that dangerous stretch of road.
   2. 5

      A game of skill played with a pocket knife in which participants try to throw or flip the…

      A game of skill played with a pocket knife in which participants try to throw or flip the knife to stick upright in the ground at specified points or areas.

      • Over at the stable, the men joke and drink whiskey, talk crops and play jack-knife […]
   3. 6

      Alternative spelling of jackknife.

   4. 7

      To fold in the middle, as a jackknife does.

      • The cat jackknifed in the air and landed gracefully on its feet.
   5. 8

      To cause a semi-trailer truck to fold like a jackknife in a traffic accident.

      • Before I knew what was happening, I'd jack-knifed the truck.
      • Before I knew what was happening, I'd jack-knifed.

The neighborhood

• neighborclasp-knife
• neighborflick knife
• neighborpenknife
• neighborpocketknife
• neighborSwiss Army knife
• neighborswitchblade