Word for the noise made by a knife

Question

Bark is the abrupt, harsh, explosive cry of a dog.

Clatter is the sound made by two or more hard objects hitting each other.

Splash is the sound of something falling into a liquid, normally water.

What is the name of the sound made by a knife? And more in particular, is there a different name for the sound of a knife slashing through the air and the sound made by a knife hitting flesh?

Additional example:

Blindfolded, I could only hear noises: the distant barking of a dog, the shouting of a terrified man, the [word] of a knife being waved into the air.

Chris H · Answer

There can't be a single word to describe so many different noises, or if there was such a word it wouldn't be very useful.

I suggest the swish of a knife through the air. Hitting a metal object (parried by another blade, or hitting armour or a shield) would be better served by clang. If a knife struck a living body, the dominant noise would be the cry of pain; chopping at a dead body would be more of a thud or thwack (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't tried this personally but it's just meat).

Also I wouldn't say "waved into the air"; "waved through the air" or just about "in the air" would be better. "Into" would go more with "thrown" but then you wouldn't want to be there when it landed.

Panic · Answer

As you said slash might be used when the knife swings through air. Two knives scratch against each other. So scratch can be used in the latter scenario.

Satya · Answer

If you want a knife sound based on slicing a throat, you could use:

'Slice!'

'Slit!'

'Crrrr!' (If your writing is informal, only)

'Tss!'

Word for the noise made by a knife

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