Definition
nounA tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed.
nounA type of defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving repeatedly turning one's aircraft towards that of the attacker in order to force them to overshoot.
Sentence Examples
There is a pair of scissors on the desk.
Can I borrow your scissors?
Word Origin & History
From Middle English sisours (attested since 1350–1400), from Old French cisoirs, from Late Latin cīsōria, plural of cīsōrium (“cutting tool”); from Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or caesus, past participle of caedō (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English sċēara (“scissors, shears”), whence shears. Doublet of chisel.
The current spelling, from the 16th century, is due to association with Medieval Latin scissor (“tailor”), from Latin carrying the meaning “carver, cutter”, from scindō (“to split”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Roses will last longer if a knife rather than a scissors is used to cut the blooms."
— 1947 June 22, “Around the Garden”, in New York Times:
"She found her in the dining-room with Ann Foster, the little dressmaker, who was endeavouring to scissors through the right side of her underlip with her teeth as proof that the compiling of a list of requisites was no tax to her."
— 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 175:
"Say, wouldn’t it put your eye out to get a letter from one of the kiddies with the thumb‐prints of that crest not doing a thing but snuggling down in the wax on the envelope? Oh, scissors!"
— 1909, Edward Waterman Townsend, chapter II, in The Climbing Courvatels, New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, page 30:
"“Scissors!” he shouted and stuck his finger in his mouth."
— 1911, William Caine, chapter XIV, in The Revolt at Roskelly’s, New York & London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, page 270:
"Then sit down—make yourself at home. Ah, scissors."
— 1913, Richard Claude Carton, Public Opinion: A Farce in Three Acts, London: Samuel French, Ltd., page 81: