kerf

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English kerf, kirf, kyrf, from Old English cyrf (“an act of cutting, a cutting off; a cutting instrument”), from Proto-West Germanic *kurbi, from Proto-Germanic *kurbiz (“a cut; notch; clipping”), from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- (“to scratch”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Käärf, West Frisian kerf, Swedish korv. Related also to Dutch kerf, German Low German Karve, Karv, German Kerbe. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɜː(ɹ)f/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f === Noun === kerf (plural kerfs) (now rare) The act of cutting or carving something; a stroke or slice. The groove or slit created by cutting or sawing something; an incision. The portion or quantity (e.g. of wood, hay, turf, wool, etc.) removed or cut off in a given stroke. 1991, Popular Mechanics, January issue, page 63, "Thin-kerf blades", by Rosario Capotostro Sawing with a thin-kerf blade produces a kerf that's 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a standard blade kerf. The distance between diverging saw teeth. 1991, Popular Mechanics, January issue, page 63, "Thin-kerf blades", by Rosario Capotostro Sawing with a thin-kerf blade produces a kerf that's 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a standard blade kerf. The flattened, cut-off end of a branch or tree; a stump or sawn-off cross-section. ==== Derived terms ==== kerf allowance kerf graft ==== Related terms ==== carve swarf ==== Translations ==== === Verb === kerf (third-person singular simple present kerfs, present participle kerfing, simple past and past participle kerfed) To cut a piece of wood or other material with several kerfs to allow it to be bent. === References === William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “kerf”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. (Supplement) === Anagrams === f**ker, ferk == Dutch == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɛrf/ Hyphenation: kerf Rhymes: -ɛrf === Etymology 1 === From Middle Dutch kerve; see the verb kerven. The sense “insect” was borrowed from German Kerf. ==== Noun ==== kerf m (plural kerven, diminutive kerfje n) a carve or groove (rare, obsolete) insect Synonyms: insect, kerfdier, gekorven dier ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== kerf inflection of kerven: first-person singular present indicative (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative imperative == Middle English == === Alternative forms === carffe, kerfe, kirf, kyrf === Etymology === From Old English cyrf, from Proto-West Germanic *kurbi, from Proto-Germanic *kurbiz. The predominance of forms in -e- is probably due to the influence of kerven. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɛrf/, /kirf/ === Noun === kerf (plural kerves) The act of cutting or carving; a stroke or slice. (rare) An incision; the result of cutting. (rare) The edge of a blade. ==== Descendants ==== English: kerf, carf Scots: kerf, carf ==== References ==== “kirf, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.