penknife

noun

1. A small pocketknife; (loosely) any pocketknife.

   “Limpet's penknife was on the table, and he snatched that up and commenced stabbing it into the cork, whether as a means of getting it out, or merely as a relief to his passion, it is difficult to say.”

2. (dated)A small knife designed for safe and convenient storage, typically in the form of a miniature clasp-knife, or with blade retractable into the handle.

   “Presently the man took a reed pen from his satchel, and trimmed it with a little ivory knife, carved in the semblance of a fish. "Oh, what a beauty!" cried Dan. "'Ware fingers! That blade is perilous sharp. I made it myself of the best Low Country crossbow steel. And so, too, this fish. When his back-fin travels to his tail—so—he swallows up the blade, even as the whale swallowed Gaffer Jonah."”

3. (archaic)A small knife for cutting the points of quill feathers or reeds into nibs to provide or repair writing implements, early versions were commonly small sheath knives.

   “If a ſarcell, or other feathers be broken aboue the quyll, towards the poynt of yͤ fethers twoo or three fingers bredth, you muſt cut it off with a ſharpe penknife, aſlope, and (as they ſay) a ſwaſhe, ⁊ then take another feather to the ſame, cutting it in like manner, as you did the other, ſo as it may fitte with yͤ ſame feather, both for length and cutte.”

   “Every sin is damning without Christ. "The wages of sin is death". It is no great difference, if a man be killed, whether it be by a sword or a penknife. The least sin violates the whole law. He that offendeth in one point, is guilty of all.”

verb

1. (transitive)To cut or carve with a penknife.