razor

Definition

A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.

Etymology

From Middle English rasour, from Old French rasour, from raser (“to scrape, to shave”). More at rat. By surface analysis, raze + -or. Displaced the native Old English sċierseax (literally “shaving knife”).

Example Sentences

• "These are fellows who shun the three-, four- and five-blade contraptions and canned goops for an older mode of shaving that they insist remains the ideal: a straight razor or a safety razor with a double-edged blade, and a fine English cream lathered and applied with a badger-hair brush."
• "The box was jam packed full o' gifts for each manjack of us: razors, aftershave, toothbrushes, an' books."
• "Occam's razor, Hanlon's razor"

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