: a cavalry sword with a curved blade, thick back, and guard
2
a
: a light fencing or dueling sword having an arched guard that covers the back of the hand and a tapering flexible blade with a full cutting edge along one side and a partial cutting edge on the back at the tip compare épée, foilentry 4
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Noun
In addition to merely rattling sabers, the Kremlin also employed an intermediate-range ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Wednesday, marking the first time such a weapon has been used in combat.—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin has been rattling his nuclear saber in a manner reminiscent of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.—Madelyn Creedon, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2024 Wim made the first try, but was scared off by Jod holding the saber to Wendle’s neck.—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 14 Jan. 2025 This raised concerns about Moscow's saber rattling over its atomic weapons capabilities, which Putin also referred to in his speech on Friday, noting how Russia's nuclear doctrine now includes Belarus, if Moscow deemed the sovereignty of its neighbor under threat.—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for saber
Word History
Etymology
Noun
French sabre, modification of German dialect Sabel, from Middle High German, probably of Slav origin; akin to Russian sablya saber
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