switchblade

American  

[swich-bleyd] / ˈswɪtʃˌbleɪd /

noun

1. a pocketknife, the blade of which is held by a spring and can be released suddenly, as by pressing a button.

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switchblade British  

/ ˈswɪtʃˌbleɪd /

noun

1. a knife with a retractable blade that springs out when a button is pressed

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Etymology

Origin of switchblade

First recorded in 1905–10; switch + blade

Example Sentences

Might that change this Christmas on a wave of appreciation for the man who wrote those wonderful words, then laid waste to them with his rusty switchblade of a voice?

From Los Angeles Times

“Lethal Woman” may be a bit unhinged but it’s the sound of a young artist enjoying herself, embracing naughtiness, adding a sprinkle of her beloved Broadway and strutting away with a switchblade on her hip.

From Seattle Times

California bans “switchblades” — which include butterfly knives — when they have blades of two or more inches in length.

From Los Angeles Times

Then Anna hands Marlene her switchblade to give to Ellie, the only inheritance she can pass her child other than her fighting spirit and immunity to a deadly, incurable fungus.

From Salon

Pennsylvania legalized the possession of switchblade knives, which had been prohibited in some situations.

From New York Times

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