Dagger

A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually one or two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a cutting or thrusting weapon. Daggers have been used throughout human history for close combat confrontations, and many cultures have used adorned daggers in ritual and ceremonial contexts. The distinctive shape and historic usage of the dagger have made it iconic and symbolic. A dagger in the modern sense is a weapon designed for close-proximity combat or self-defence; due to its use in historic weapon assemblages, it has associations with assassination and murders. Double-edged knives, however, play different sorts of roles in different social contexts.

Quotes

• Leaving Piemont, and coasting the sassinous shoare of Genoaes revieroe, I ported Ligorne, the great Dukes Sea-haven; where I left Mr. Bruce with a Galley Captaine a voluntary Souldier; and inclining alone to Florence by the way at Pestoia, I found a comfortable crosse; for I sighting the market place after supper, and carrying a French Ponyard in my pocket, the head of it was espied by a Badgello, Captaine of the Sergeants, who straight gripped me, bore me to prison, and clapd me in a Dungeon robbing me of all my moneyes and Poneyard; and posting that night to Florence on the morrow shew the Justice there a Stilleto of his owne: upon which I was condemned to row in the Gallies for a yeare, else to pay a hundred Duckats: He stayed there three dayes, in this time was I discovered to the governour of Pistoia, a noble Gentleman, and being brought before him, and acquainting him with the undeserved cruelty of the Badgello: nor that I never wore a Stilleto, but under pretext of that had robbed mee of three-score and twelve pieces of gold: Whereupon the Governour perceiving the knavery of the Villaine, and that he had not acquainted him with my apprehending, to whose place it belonged, he grew immatulent and forthwith sent post to his Highnesse, shewing him the trueth of the businesse: Whereupon the Badgello was sent backe to the Governour with whom I was domestickly reserved; and being accused before my face of his roguery, could not deny it: well, my gold and my Poneyard is restored againe, the Badgello banished the territorie of Pistoia for ever, with his Wife and Children, and I received in compensation of my abuses, from his Highnesse Chamber or Treasury there, fifty Florentine Crownes of gold, being modified by the Duke him selfe; whereat I extolled the knave, that wrought his own wracke in seeking my overthrow, and brought me such a noble reward.
  • William Lithgow, Totall Discourse, VIII, 351

• More was seen through the sternlight screen—
  Chartings undoubt where a woman had been!—
  A flimsy shift on a bunker cot,
  With a thin dirk-slot through the bosom spot
  And the lace stiff-dry in a purplish blot.
  • Young E. Allison, "Derelict: The Ballad of Dead Men"
  • C. I. Hitchcock, ed. The Dead Men’s Song (1914)

Metaphorical

• JULIET:
  Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O, happy dagger,
  This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.
  • Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Q2; F1), V, 3

• TUBAL: Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, in one night fourscore ducats.
  SHYLOCK: Thou stickest a dagger in me: I shall never see my gold again: fourscore ducats at a sitting! fourscore ducats!
  • Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, III, 1

• DONALBAIN: There's daggers in men's smiles.
  • Shakespeare, Macbeth, II, 3

• The soul, secur’d in her existence, smiles
  At the drawn dagger, and defies its point.
  • Joseph Addison, Cato (1712), V, 1

• The time admits not flowers or leaves
  To deck the banquet. Fiercely flies
  The blast of North and East, and ice
  Makes daggers at the sharpen’d eaves,
  • Alfred Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H. (1850), CVII