scalping-knife†

Hist.

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

a sharp knife used by Indian warriors to scalp their defeated enemies, important item of trading goods in the fur country.

See: scalper(def. 1)

Quotations

1768-82

I gave him two gallons of rum . . . [and] a scalping knife. . . .

1883

It is now against the law to carry a scalping knife, and besides the Indians are no longer savages--they all now go to Sunday School.

1929

. . . a bunch of seed beads or a scalping-knife [sold for] one, a small country-made axe two, and a larger axe four made-beaver.