sickle

sickle
    n 1: an edge tool for cutting grass or crops; has a curved blade
         and a short handle [syn: {sickle}, {reaping hook}, {reap
         hook}]
    

Sickle \Sic"kle\, n. [OE. sikel, AS. sicol; akin to D. sikkel,
   G. sichel, OHG. sihhila, Dan. segel, segl, L. secula, fr.
   secare to cut; or perhaps from L. secula. See {Saw} a cutting
   instrument.]
   1. A reaping instrument consisting of a steel blade curved
      into the form of a hook, and having a handle fitted on a
      tang. The sickle has one side of the blade notched, so as
      always to sharpen with a serrated edge. Cf. {Reaping
      hook}, under {Reap}.
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            When corn has once felt the sickle, it has no more
            benefit from the sunshine.            --Shak.
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   2. (Astron.) A group of stars in the constellation Leo. See
      Illust. of {Leo}.
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   {Sickle pod} (Bot.), a kind of rock cress ({Arabis
      Canadensis}) having very long curved pods.
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Sickle
of the Egyptians resembled that in modern use. The ears of corn
were cut with it near the top of the straw. There was also a
sickle used for warlike purposes, more correctly, however,
called a pruning-hook (Deut. 16:9; Jer. 50:16, marg., "scythe;"
Joel 3:13; Mark 4:29).