1. lit. as used in eating at table. Hence in various phrases referring to eating, as to play a good knife and fork, to eat heartily.
1727–38. Gay, Fables, I. Farmer’s Wife & Raven. Then, to contribute to my loss, My knife and fork were laid across.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, I. vi, ¶ 2. Domingo, after playing a good knife and fork … took himself off.
1852. Dickens, Bleak Ho., xlv. My digestion is much impaired, and I am but a poor knife and fork at any time.
1888. Annie S. Swan, Doris Cheyne, i. 21. I’ll be glad to see you over to a knife and fork.
1889. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Robbery under Arms (1890), xlv. 353. Moran … played a good knife and fork.
b. attrib. (knife-and-fork).
1812. Sporting Mag., XL. 25/1. These dextrous knife-and-fork men.
1841. Gresley, C. Lever, 183–4. With one class it is what has been termed a knife-and-fork question; with the other, a moral or political affair.
1895. ‘Péronne,’ Veil of Liberty, ix. 182. He carried her off to a good knife-and-fork breakfast at a restaurant.
2. A popular name of Herb Robert (Geranium Robertianum) and the common club-moss (Lycopodium clavatum).
1879. in Britten & Holland.
Hence Knife-and-forker, one who plays a good knife and fork, a hearty eater.
a. 1845. Hood, Literary & Literal, vi. Not a mere pic-nic … But tempting to the solid knife-and-forker.
