blade
Flat cutting part of tool or weapon
The flat, thin, sharp part of a tool or weapon that cuts things.
the blade of [a tool/weapon]
- Be careful, the blade of that knife is extremely sharp.
- He wiped the blood from the blade and set the knife down.
- The saw’s blade needs to be replaced before it breaks.
- She ran her finger lightly along the blade to check how sharp it was.
- The chef keeps each blade in his knife set carefully sharpened.
- The blade of this knife is very sharp.
- Please hold the knife by the handle, not by the blade.
- He cut the bread with a long blade.
- She cleaned the blade after she used the knife.
Knife used as a weapon
A knife or other sharp weapon that a person carries, often for fighting.
[someone] carries a blade
- The police arrested him after they found a blade in his pocket.
- He pulled a blade on the man who refused to give him money.
- Security checks are designed to stop people bringing blades onto the plane.
- Street gangs in the area often carry blades for protection.
- Witnesses say the attacker used a small blade during the robbery.
- The man was arrested because he carried a blade.
- In some cities, young people carry blades for protection.
- The guard checked their bags to make sure there were no blades.
Flat part of fan or propeller
The flat part of a machine, like a fan or propeller, that turns and pushes air, water, or something else.
the blade of [a machine/tool]
- One of the fan blades snapped off and flew across the room.
- Engineers redesigned the turbine blades to improve efficiency.
- The helicopter’s blades made a deafening noise as it took off.
- He checked each propeller blade carefully for cracks before the flight.
- Ice built up on the rotor blades during the storm.
- The fan blades move the air in the room.
- The helicopter blades turned faster and faster.
- There is a problem with one blade on the wind turbine.
- He cleaned the blades of the fan before turning it on.
Single narrow leaf of grass
One thin, narrow leaf of grass or a similar plant.
a blade of [type of grass/plant]
- She watched a single blade of grass move in the wind.
- Every blade of grass was covered in dew.
- He pulled up a few blades of grass and rolled them between his fingers.
- The cow ate every last blade of grass in the field.
- Tiny insects were hiding between the blades of grass.
- A blade of grass moved in the wind.
- There is a drop of water on each blade of grass.
- The field was full of green blades of grass.
- He picked a blade of grass and put it in his mouth.
Flat bone of the shoulder
The flat bone in your upper back that is part of your shoulder.
[someone] hurts their shoulder blade
- She felt a sharp pain just below her left shoulder blade.
- The doctor gently pressed around his shoulder blades to find the source of the pain.
- He has a tattoo across both shoulder blades.
- Tension often builds up between the shoulder blades when you sit too long.
- The X-ray showed a small crack in the shoulder blade.
- My shoulder blade hurts when I move my arm.
- He has a tattoo on his left shoulder blade.
- The doctor touched my shoulder blade and asked if it hurt.
- You can feel your shoulder blades if you touch your upper back.
- Base: blade
- Plural: blades
blade of grass
1Single piece of grass
One thin, narrow leaf of grass.
- Not a single blade of grass was left after the cows finished eating.
- She lay down and played with a blade of grass between her fingers.
fan blade
1Flat part of fan that turns
One of the flat parts of a fan that turns and moves the air.
- Dust collected on the fan blades over the summer.
- One fan blade is bent, so the fan makes a strange noise.
knife blade
1Cutting part of a knife
The flat, sharp part of a knife that cuts things.
- He ran the knife blade under hot water to clean it.
- The knife blade was so dull that it could barely cut the tomato.
razor blade
1Sharp metal piece for shaving
The thin, sharp metal part of a razor that cuts hair when you shave.
- Be careful when you change the razor blade so you don’t cut yourself.
- I need to buy some new razor blades before my trip.
rotor blade
1Blade on helicopter or turbine rotor
One of the long, flat parts that turn on a helicopter or turbine to move air.
- Ice on the rotor blades can be dangerous for helicopters.
- The engineers inspected each rotor blade for signs of damage.
shoulder blade
1Flat bone in upper back
The flat bone in your upper back that is part of your shoulder.
- She has a small birthmark on her right shoulder blade.
- He felt a pulling pain between his shoulder blades after lifting the box.