What does "dagger" mean?
Dagger: (Print.) A mark of reference in the form of a dagger [|]. It is the second in order when more than one reference occurs on a page; -- called also obelisk. Dagger moth (Zoöl.), any moth of the genus Apatalea. The larvæ are often destructive to the foliage of fruit trees, etc. -- Dagger of lath, the wooden weapon given to the Vice in the old Moralities. Shak. -- Double dagger, a mark of reference [||] which comes next in order after the dagger. -- To look, or speak, daggers, to look or speak fiercely or reproachfully.
Additional senses
- 2.To pierce with a dagger; to stab. [Obs.]
- 3.A timber placed diagonally in a ship's frame. Knight.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00