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| jackknife [ ják nīf ] |
noun (plural jackknives) |
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| Definition: |
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1. folding knife: a knife that has a pivoted blade that fits inside the handle when it is not in use
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2. dive: a dive in which the diver jumps, bends the body at the waist while keeping the legs together and straight, then straightens out to enter the water headfirst
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verb (3rd person present singular jackknifes [ ják nīvz ], present participle jackknifing, past and past participle jackknifed) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb bend double: to bend, or bend something, double or into an acute angle
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2. intransitive verb transport lose control of lorry trailer: to lose control of the trailer of an articulated lorry as a result of sudden braking or swerving at speed, or for the trailer to go out of control, so that it swings around violently and ends up at an acute angle to the cab
  The lorry struck a patch of ice and jackknifed.
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3. intransitive verb swimming do jackknife dive: to perform a jackknife dive
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| [Early 18th century. Origin ?] |
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