jackknife

jack·knife  (jknf)

n.

1. A large clasp knife.

2. Sports A dive in the pike position, in which the diver straightens out to enter the water hands first.

v. jack·knifed, jack·knif·ing, jack·knifes

v.tr.

1. To fold or double (something or oneself) like a jackknife.

2. To cut or stab with a jackknife.

v.intr.

1. To bend or fold up like a jackknife: A truck that had jackknifed was blocking the road.

2. To form a 90° angle.

---

jackknife [ˈdʒækˌnaɪf]

n pl -knives

1. (Engineering / Tools) a knife with the blade pivoted to fold into a recess in the handle

2. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) a former name for a type of dive in which the diver bends at the waist in midair, with his legs straight and his hands touching his feet, finally straightening out and entering the water headfirst: forward pike dive

vb (intr)

1. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) (of an articulated lorry) to go out of control in such a way that the trailer swings round at an angle to the cab

2. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) to make a jackknife dive

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	jackknife - a large knife with one or more folding blades clasp knife pocket knife, pocketknife - a knife with a blade that folds into the handle; suitable for carrying in the pocket
	2.	jackknife - a dive in which the diver bends to touch the ankles before straightening out dive, diving - a headlong plunge into water
Verb	1.	jackknife - dive into the water bending the body at the waist at a right angle, like a jackknife athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition dive - plunge into water; "I was afraid to dive from the board into the pool"

Translations

jackknife [ˈdʒæknaɪf]

A. N (jackknives (pl)) → navaja f, chaveta f (LAm)

B. VI [lorry] → colear

C. CPD jackknife dive N → salto m de la carpa, carpa f

jackknife [ˈdʒæknaɪf] n → couteau m de poche

jackknife

n

→ (großes) Taschenmesser

(also jackknife dive) → gehechteter Sprung

vi the lorry jackknifed → der Lastwagenanhänger hat sich quer gestellt