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SCYTHE

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Originally appearing in Volume V24, Page 526 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SCYTHE , an See also:

implement for mowing grass or See also:reaping See also:corn or See also:grain, consisting of a curved See also:steel blade fastened to a See also:long wooden handle with a slight See also:double See also:curve from which project two small pieces by which the handle is held. The handle is technically known as the " snathe," " sned " or " snead " (sncedan to cut, cf. Ger. schneiden). The word in O.E. is sine or sil2e M.E. sithe; the mis-spelling " scythe " is paralleled by " See also:scent," and is possibly due to, the Fr. scier, saw; the word means " an See also:instrument for cutting," and is derived from the See also:root sak-, seen in See also:Lat. secare, to cut, " saw " and " sickle," the See also:oldest of reaping implements, with deep curved blade and See also:short handle. The same root is seen in the " sedge," i.e. cutting or See also:sword-grass, strictly applied to See also:plants of the genus Carex, but loosely used of flags, rushes and other See also:grasses growing in marshy places (see REAPING).

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