flint
part of speech
noun (flint; a flint, flints)
meaning for a pupil
1) A very hard grey or black stone that makes sparks when struck against steel, and breaks into sharp edges. tree →
2) A piece of flint used to light a fire or, long ago, as a tool or arrowhead. tree →
3) A small piece of metal in a lighter that makes the spark. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Zipporah circumcised her son with a flint knife. God also made water flow from flint rock in the wilderness. Interpretation: Zipporah's act is read as saving Moses by carrying out the covenant of circumcision. The water from flint is read as a sign that God can give life even from the hardest places. In the primary lessons: In history lessons on the Stone Age, people made axes, knives and arrowheads from flint, and lit fires with flint and steel. In science (rocks), flint is found in chalk, for example on beaches and cliffs in southern England. In stories, a «heart of flint» means a very hard, unkind heart.
examples
- Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' (Torah EXO.4.25, JPS 1917) tree →
- who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; (Torah DEU.8.15, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Joshua made him knives of flint, and circumcised the children of Israel at Gibeath-ha-araloth. (Prophets JOS.5.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters. (Writings PSA.114.8, JPS 1917) tree →
- At that time the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Make thee knives of flint, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.' (Prophets JOS.5.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- Stone Age people made tools from flint. tree →
- We found a flint on the chalk beach. tree →
- He struck flint and steel to make a spark. tree →
- The arrowhead was made of sharp flint. tree →
- The museum showed a flint hand axe. tree →
- She had a heart of flint and never forgave anyone. tree →
- The badger heard the flint striking, and asked: tree →
note
Uncountable for the material («made of flint»), countable for pieces («two flints»). Adjective «flinty» (hard, like flint).
In the corpora
- And Joshua made him knives of flint, and circumcised the children of Israel at Gibeath-ha-araloth.
- Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «flint» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.