Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A dagger typically having a slender three- or four-sided blade.
  • transitive verb To stab with such a dagger.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A stabbing-weapon; a dagger: applied to any such weapon, without reference to shape or make.
  • To stab with or as with a poniard.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A kind of dagger, -- usually a slender one with a triangular or square blade.
  • transitive verb To pierce with a poniard; to stab.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A dagger typically having a slender square or triangular blade.
  • verb To stab with a poniard.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a dagger with a slender blade
  • verb stab with a poniard

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French poignard, from poing, fist, from Old French, from Latin pugnus; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle French poignard, from poing ("fist"), from Old French, from Latin pūgnus ("fist"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peuk-.

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Examples

  • In Twenty Years After, by Dumas, when M. de Beaufort removes the poniard from the pie and says, “I hold one of these poniards to La Remee’s heart and say to him, ‘My friend, I am truly distressed, but if you make any movement or utter a cry, you are a dead man.’”

    A Bland and Deadly Courtesy skzbrust 2009

  • In Twenty Years After, by Dumas, when M. de Beaufort removes the poniard from the pie and says, “I hold one of these poniards to La Remee’s heart and say to him, ‘My friend, I am truly distressed, but if you make any movement or utter a cry, you are a dead man.’”

    A Bland and Deadly Courtesy skzbrust 2009

  • Abidan, unarmed, seized a poniard from the soldier’s belt, stabbed him to the heart, and vaulting on the steed, galloped towards the river.

    Chapter 7 - Part IX 1822

  • Thus when the first shadow came creeping into the star lit room, the Cimmerian, silent as a panther, moved to his feet, a poniard in each hand.

    Conan Fan Fiction! Cromsblood 2009

  • Thus when the first shadow came creeping into the star lit room, the Cimmerian, silent as a panther, moved to his feet, a poniard in each hand.

    Archive 2009-12-01 Reis O'Brien 2009

  • With a closed backhand, poniard held tight, the barbarian warrior slapped the pipe, filled with deadly powdered black lotus into his opponent's mouth.

    Archive 2009-12-01 Reis O'Brien 2009

  • With a closed backhand, poniard held tight, the barbarian warrior slapped the pipe, filled with deadly powdered black lotus into his opponent's mouth.

    Conan Fan Fiction! Cromsblood 2009

  • That when the same cannot be done openly I will secretly use the poisonous cup, the strangulation cord, the steel of the poniard, or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity or authority of the persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as

    140 Million Dead? So What! Christianity's STILL A RELIGION OF PEACE! 2010

  • That when the same cannot be done openly I will secretly use the poisonous cup, the strangulation cord, the steel of the poniard, or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity or authority of the persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as

    Printing: 140 Million Dead? So What! Christianity's STILL A RELIGION OF PEACE! 2010

  • And now, third, tell me how his open enemy can have approached him so close, and de Soulis with sword and poniard ready to hand.

    A River So Long 2010

Comments

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  • She snatched her poniard,

    And, ere we could prevent the fatal blow,

    Plunged it within her breast; then turned to me:

    Go, bear my lord, said she, my last farewell;

    And ask him, if he yet suspect my faith.

    - John Dryden, 'All for Love'.

    September 20, 2009

  • "Too many things were happening at once. Quentin's stomach clenched when he realized an elf had singled Alice out and was advancing across the dry basin toward her, twirling a long straight knife—were they called poniards?—in each hand."

    The Magicians by Lev Grossman, p 328

    October 14, 2009