Stanley knife

English

Stanley brand utility knife

Etymology

From a brand name owned by the US tool manufacturer formerly known as Stanley Works; from Stanley (“surname”) + knife.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

Stanley knife (plural Stanley knives)

1. (UK, Australia, New Zealand) A type of retractable utility knife with a replaceable blade.
   • 1988, Dennis Sloan, The Twenty-Third Little Varmint, published 2005, page 126:

     Hotels expect to lose ashtrays, coat hangers and towels, for me it was Stanley knives. I didn′t mind a bit! If anyone bought a ₤35 a carpet, they were more than welcome to a 50 pence knife.

   • 2002, Guy Rundle, “Up from the Dead”, in Peter Craven, editor, The Best Australian Essays 2002, page 187:

     […] the trams floating slowly down Swanston Street, paper-sellers cutting open bundles with Stanley knives, the smell of ground coffee from the downstairs cafe, […] .

   • 2003, Anthony Hulse, Insanity Never Sleeps, Mediaworld, UK, page 30:

     He gripped his Stanley knife and swung open the door almost detaching it from its hinges.

   • 2004, David Bret, Morrissey: Scandal & Passion, page 34:

     Manchester′s ‘golden boys’, Joy Division, had recently been devastated by the death of their singer, Ian Curtis: that good-looking, sad young man had made a spectacular exit by carving a smile on his face with a Stanley knife before hanging himself.

Synonyms

• (retractable utility knife): utility knife, boxcutter

Translations

utility knife — see utility knife