jackknife

unregelmäßiger Plural

A noun referring to a large folding knife with one or more blades, or a type of dive where the diver bends at the waist to touch their ankles before straightening out.

• 🇩🇪Ein großes Klappmesser mit einer oder mehreren Klingen; auch ein Sprung ins Wasser, bei dem der Springer in der Hüfte einknickt, um die Fußknöchel zu berühren, und sich dann wieder streckt.

1. Folding knife B1 formal

   A large knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle, typically used for camping or general utility.

   • He used his jackknife to cut the rope.
   • The scout always carried a jackknife in his pocket.
   • She opened the jackknife to whittle a piece of wood.

   🇩🇪Taschenmesser

   Synonyme: clasp knifepenknifepocketknife

2. Diving position B2 formal sport

   A type of dive in which the diver bends at the waist to touch their ankles before straightening out and entering the water.

   • She performed a perfect jackknife off the high board.
   • The coach taught him how to execute a jackknife dive.
   • His jackknife was the highlight of the diving competition.

   🇩🇪Klappmesserposition beim Sprung

• jackknives plural form
• jackknives' possessive plural form
• jackknife's possessive singular form

A verb meaning to bend or fold sharply in the middle, like a jackknife; commonly used for vehicles (e.g., a truck jackknifing) or acrobatic dives.

• 🇩🇪Sich plötzlich in der Mitte zusammenklappen oder scharf abknicken, wie ein Taschenmesser; gebräuchlich für Fahrzeuge (z. B. ein Lastwagen klappt auseinander) oder für akrobatische Sprünge ins Wasser.

1. Dive in a jackknife position B2 formal sport

   To dive into the water bending the body at the waist to form a right angle, then straightening before entering the water.

   • He jackknifed off the high board into the pool.
   • The diver practiced jackknifing from the three-meter platform.
   • She executed a perfect jackknife dive during the competition.

   🇩🇪Im Jackknife-Sprung ins Wasser tauchen

   Synonyme: pike

2. Fold or buckle suddenly B2 formal

   To bend or collapse in the middle, typically referring to a vehicle such as a truck or trailer folding sharply.

   • The truck jackknifed on the icy highway, blocking all lanes.
   • An accident occurred when the trailer jackknifed during a sudden stop.
   • The driver lost control and the rig jackknifed across the road.

   🇩🇪Sich plötzlich zusammenklappen

   Synonyme: bendbucklecollapsedouble overfold

   Antonyme: alignextendstraightenunfold

• jackknifed past participle
• jackknifed past simple
• jackknifing present participle
• jackknifes third person singular