coupe choux

French

Alternative forms

  • coupe-choux, coupe chou, coupe-chou

Etymology

Literally, cabbage cutter.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kup ʃu/

Noun

coupe choux m (plural coupes choux)

  1. (slang) a straight razor; ellipsis of rasoir coupe-choux; synonym of rasoir droit
  2. (slang) a machete; synonym of machette
  3. (historical, military, slang, 19th c.) a Model 1816 French Army artillery short sword, which was based on the Roman gladius. The sword was generally used for clearing brush and was ineffective as a fighting weapon, without an accompanying shield
  4. (historical, military, slang, 19th century, by extension) swords based on the Model 1816, such as the Model 1832 U.S. Army foot artillery short sword

Synonyms

(straight razor):

  • rasoir droit
  • rasoir ouvert
  • rasoir sabre
  • rasoir sabre coupe-chou, rasoir sabre coupe-choux
  • sabre
  • sabre coupe-choux, sabre coupe-chou

(Gladius-style sword):

  • sabre coupe-choux / sabre coupe-chou