dagger
A short, sharp knife with a very pointed end, used for stabbing people at close distance.
A short knife with a very pointed tip and usually two sharp edges, designed for stabbing at close range.
The symbol † that you sometimes see in books or articles, often used for footnotes or to show the year when someone died.
The typographic symbol †, used in printing and writing for footnotes, cross-references, or to mark a person’s death date.
In sports, a very important play near the end that almost guarantees one team will win the game.
In sports commentary, a late and usually dramatic play or score that effectively decides the game in favor of one team.
- Base: dagger
- Plural: daggers
at daggers drawn
1in a state of open hostility
To be in a very angry and hostile relationship, ready to fight or argue at any time.
- The two departments have been at daggers drawn for months over the budget.
- Since the argument, the brothers have been at daggers drawn.
- Management and staff were at daggers drawn during the negotiations.
double dagger
1typographic ‡ symbol for notes
The text symbol ‡, used for footnotes or notes when the asterisk and single dagger have already been used.
- Use a double dagger for the third note on this page.
- In the price list, items marked with a double dagger are no longer available.
- The style guide says to follow the asterisk and dagger with a double dagger.
like a dagger to the heart
1causing sudden deep emotional pain
Very hurtful, causing strong emotional pain, as if someone had stabbed your heart.
- Hearing him say he never loved her was like a dagger to the heart.
- The criticism was like a dagger to the heart after all her hard work.
- His cold reply felt like a dagger to her heart.
look daggers at
1stare at someone very angrily
To look at someone in a very angry or hateful way.
- She looked daggers at him when he mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
- The teacher looked daggers at the students who were whispering.
- He said nothing, but he was looking daggers at the reporter.
cloak and dagger
1secret, dramatic spying or plotting
Mysterious and secret activities, especially involving spying, crime, or political plots, often in a dramatic way.
- The novel is full of cloak and dagger intrigue and double agents.
- They joked that the office meeting felt like a cloak and dagger operation.
- He enjoys movies with lots of cloak and dagger scenes.
cloak and dagger
2Secretive or mysterious activity
Activities done in secret, often exciting or about spies.
- The meeting was full of cloak-and-dagger secrecy.
- He loved cloak-and-dagger spy novels.