noun General Slang

shiv

· noun · prison

A makeshift stabbing weapon — prison-made blade.

0

Definitions

1

An improvised knife or razor — the classic prison weapon. Similar to a shank but the word 'shiv' often implies something more obviously blade-like: a smuggled razor, a sharpened piece of metal. Both noun ('he pulled a shiv') and verb ('he got shivved').

“Word on the block was somebody had a shiv with their name on it.”
by community
0
2

Verb: to stab someone with a shiv.

“He got shivved in the showers and nobody saw a thing.”
by community
0

shiv In A Sentence

Word on the block was somebody had a shiv with their name on it.
He got shivved in the showers and nobody saw a thing.

Origin & Usage

English thieves' cant from the 17th century, ultimately from Romani 'chiv' meaning blade. Adopted into US prison slang.

Variants shivvedshivving

People Also Ask

What does shiv mean?

A shiv is a makeshift stabbing weapon — a prison-made blade.

How do you use shiv in a sentence?

"They found a shiv hidden in his cell."

Comments 0