blade

blade — noun

1. the long, thin, sharp piece of metal that forms the cutting side of a knife, swo

1.nounB2
Definition

the long, thin, sharp piece of metal that forms the cutting side of a knife, sword, razor, or similar tool.

Example

Beatriz tested the blade of the kitchen knife with her thumb before chopping the onions.

the blade of [a knife]

The old sword had a long, curved blade that was still very sharp.

Common collocations
  • sharp blade
  • dull blade
  • razor blade
  • steel blade
  • sharpen the blade
Synonyms
  • edge

    only the sharpened line, not the whole metal piece

  • knife

    the whole tool including handle, not just the metal part

Antonyms
  • handle

    the part you hold, opposite end of a knife

  • hilt

    the handle of a sword, opposite end from the blade

Grammar Patterns

the blade of [a knife/sword/razor]

Usage Note

Object is usually a cutting tool (knife, sword, razor, axe). Often appears in 'sharp/dull/clean blade' and 'the blade of [tool]'. Distinguish from sense 2 (rotating part) and sense 5 (skate part) by context.

Common Mistakes

The knife has a strong edge to cut bread.
The knife has a strong blade to cut bread.
use 'blade' for the whole metal piece, not just 'edge'.

2. one of the wide, flat arms on a fan, propeller, helicopter, oar, or windmill tha

2.noun
Definition

one of the wide, flat arms on a fan, propeller, helicopter, oar, or windmill that turns or moves to push air or water.

Example

The helicopter blades spun so fast that Sofia had to hold onto her hat.

plural subject: blades spun

Dust covered the blades of the ceiling fan in the bedroom.

the blades of [a fan]

Common collocations
  • fan blade
  • propeller blade
  • helicopter blade
  • rotor blade
  • spinning blades
Synonyms
  • vane

    more technical, often used for windmill or weather instruments

  • rotor

    the whole spinning unit (hub plus blades), not one arm

Grammar Patterns

the blades of [a fan/propeller/helicopter]

Usage Note

Often appears in plural ('blades') because most machines have several. Common compounds: 'fan blades', 'propeller blades', 'rotor blades', 'oar blade'. Subject is usually a machine or wind-powered device.

Common Mistakes

The helicopter wings spin very fast.
The helicopter blades spin very fast.
helicopters and fans have blades, not wings.

3. used as part of the name of an object whose shape is flat and thin, often long,

3.noun
Definition

used as part of the name of an object whose shape is flat and thin, often long, looking similar to the cutting part of a knife.

Example

Marcus rubbed his sore shoulder blade after lifting the heavy box into the truck.

compound: shoulder blade

Anna found a small bone called the shoulder blade in her biology textbook.

Common collocations
  • shoulder blade
  • blade-shaped
Synonyms
  • leaf

    for thin flat plant parts, but 'blade' is used in shape compounds

  • plate

    for flat metal pieces, but more rigid and not usually long

Grammar Patterns

[noun] + blade

Usage Note

This sense appears mainly inside fixed compounds ('shoulder blade', 'blade of seaweed'). Rarely stands alone. Distinguish from sense 1 by the absence of any cutting purpose.

4. one of the thin, flat, pointed leaves that grow up from grass and similar plants

4.noun
Definition

one of the thin, flat, pointed leaves that grow up from grass and similar plants.

Example

A single blade of grass had pushed up between the stones in the garden path.

a blade of grass

Tom lay on the lawn and chewed a long blade of grass while watching the clouds.

Common collocations
  • a blade of grass
  • blades of grass
  • thin blade
  • green blade
Synonyms
  • leaf

    general term, but 'blade' is the correct word for grass and similar narrow leaves

  • stem

    the upright part of the plant, not the leaf

Grammar Patterns

a blade of grass

Usage Note

Almost always appears in 'a blade of grass' or plural 'blades of grass'. Used for narrow leaves of grasses, reeds, or rice plants — not for broad leaves like those of an oak tree.

Common Mistakes

A piece of grass stuck to her shoe.
A blade of grass stuck to her shoe.
for one slim grass leaf, English uses 'blade', not 'piece'.

5. the thin metal strip fixed under an ice skate that the skater glides along the i

5.noun
Definition

the thin metal strip fixed under an ice skate that the skater glides along the ice on.

Example

Yuna sharpened the blades of her skates before the figure skating competition.

the blades of [skates]

The blade of the skate left a thin line across the smooth ice.

Common collocations
  • skate blade
  • sharpen the blade
  • dull blade
  • long blade
Synonyms
  • runner

    older term for the same metal strip, also used for sleds

Antonyms
  • wheel

    what a roller skate uses instead of a blade

Grammar Patterns

the blade of [an ice skate]

Usage Note

Specific to ice skates (figure skating, hockey, speed skating). Roller skates have 'wheels', not 'blades'. Often used in plural because each skate has its own blade.

Common Mistakes

She fell because the metal under her skate was loose.
She fell because the blade of her skate was loose.
the technical word is 'blade'.

6. a curved springy device, usually made of carbon fiber, worn by someone whose low

6.noun
Definition

a curved springy device, usually made of carbon fiber, worn by someone whose lower limb is partly missing so that they can walk, run, or compete in sports.

Example

Paralympic sprinter Aisha trains every morning with a carbon running blade.

compound: running blade

After the accident, Daniel learned to run again using a curved blade.

Common collocations
  • running blade
  • carbon blade
  • racing blade
  • wear a blade
  • fit a blade
Synonyms
  • prosthesis

    the general medical term for any artificial body part

  • prosthetic

    general term; 'blade' refers specifically to the curved sports type

Grammar Patterns

running blade

carbon blade

Usage Note

Often appears in 'running blade' or 'sports blade'. Strongly associated with Paralympic athletics and rehabilitation. Distinguish from sense 5 (ice skate part) by context — this is fitted to a person, not a shoe.

7. an old-fashioned word for a lively, good-looking young man who dresses well and

7.noun
Definition

an old-fashioned word for a lively, good-looking young man who dresses well and enjoys having fun.

Example

In the 1920s, Henry was known around the city as a charming young blade.

a young blade

The novel describes a group of rich blades drinking and dancing every night in London.

plural: blades

Common collocations
  • young blade
  • gay blade
  • dashing blade
Synonyms
  • dandy

    old-fashioned, focuses on fancy clothes more than energy

  • playboy

    modern, suggests wealth and many girlfriends; more negative

Grammar Patterns

a young blade

a gay blade

Usage Note

Old-fashioned and now mostly literary or humorous. Often modified by 'young', 'gay', or 'dashing'. Modern speakers rarely use this sense — choose 'a stylish young man' in everyday writing.

Common Mistakes

My new neighbor is a blade.
My new neighbor is a stylish young man.
'blade' in this sense sounds very old-fashioned today.

Word family

  • bladed
    adjective
  • bladeless
    adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words relate to cutting, but they refer to different parts or tools. 'Blade' is the whole flat metal piece of a cutting tool — you can hold a knife by the handle and look at its blade. 'Edge' is only the very thin sharpened line along one side of a blade; a blade can be sharp or dull along its edge. 'Knife' is the complete tool, including handle and blade, used mainly in cooking and at meals. 'Razor' is a small tool with a thin blade designed for shaving hair. So a knife has a blade, the blade has an edge, and a razor is a kind of small cutting tool with its own blade. For example: 'Hand me the knife — careful, the edge of the blade is very sharp,' or 'He shaved with an old razor whose blade was almost worn out.'

bladeedgekniferazor

Common collocations

Nouns

  • razor blade
  • knife blade
  • fan blade
  • propeller blade
  • skate blade
  • saw blade
  • shoulder blade
  • blade of grass
  • running blade

Adverbs

  • razor-sharp

Phrases

  • sharpen the blade
  • the blade is sharp/dull
  • between the blades
  • replace the blade

Prepositions

  • blade of (a knife/grass/skate)
  • on the blade
  • with a blade

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Blade' comes from Old English 'blæd', which originally meant a leaf, a flat piece of plant material. It is related to similar Germanic words such as Old Norse 'blað' and German 'Blatt', both meaning 'leaf' or 'flat sheet'. Over many centuries, English speakers extended the word from plant leaves to other long flat shapes — first the broad flat part of an oar or paddle, then the cutting part of a sword or knife, and later the metal strip on a skate, the arm of a propeller, and the curved sports prosthetic. The slang meaning 'a stylish young man' appeared in the late 1500s, perhaps from the idea of a sharp, lively person who carried a sword.