snow-knife

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

a knife about 15 inches long having a broad, straight blade and used primarily for cutting snow blocks for igloos (def. 1a).

See: igloo(def. 1a),pana,snow-dag

Quotations

1850

My supporters . . . consisted of old Abbott, armed with a snow-knife, and some men who ran, because they saw o thers doing so.

1930

The pieces [of snow] are made to have a slight inclination inwards and are fitted close together by the skilful use of the snow knife.

1958

Using a "panar" or snow-knife, he quickly cut snow blocks from the hard-packed cover of sea-ice.

1966

They had no snow knife to build a shelter, no food, and one pair of mitts between them.