shive

¹ American  

[shahyv] / ʃaɪv /

noun

1. a sliver or fragment; splinter.

2. a thin plug, as of wood or cork, for stopping the bunghole of a cask or the mouth of a bottle.

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shive ² American  

[shiv, shahyv] / ʃɪv, ʃaɪv /

noun

1. a splinter or fragment of the husk of flax, hemp, etc.

2. boon.

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shive British  

/ ʃaɪv /

noun

1. a flat cork or bung for wide-mouthed bottles

2. an archaic word for slice

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Etymology

Origin of shive¹

1175–1225; Middle English; cognate with German Scheibe, Old Norse skīfa; akin to sheave ²

Origin of shive²

1475–85; earlier scyfe; cognate with dialectal Dutch schif, Middle Dutch scheve, German Schebe; akin to shiver ²

Example Sentences

The latter, in the latest discoveries of modern science, seem to have stolen a shive from the ancient loaf in the expectation that it would not be detected.

From Ancient and Modern Physics by Willson, Thomas E.

“It is easy to steal a shive from a cut loaf.”

From Folk-lore of Shakespeare by Thiselton-Dyer, Thomas Firminger

I’ll say aught you want me, and I don’t care what it is—that the moon’s made o’ green cheese, if you will, and I’d a shive last night for supper.

From The King's Daughters by Holt, Emily Sarah

There was a poor fellow breakfasting in the shed at the same time; and he gave the woman a thick shive of his bread as she went away.

From Home-Life of the Lancashire Factory Folk during the Cotton Famine by Waugh, Edwin

Come now, another shive of mutton? well, then, a piece o’ th’ pasty—do!

From For the Master's Sake A Story of the Days of Queen Mary by Petherick, Horace