Definition of "bodkin" [bod•kin]

• A small, sharply pointed instrument for making holes in fabric or leather. (noun)
• A blunt needle for pulling tape or ribbon through a series of loops or a hem. (noun)
• A long hairpin, usually with an ornamental head. (noun)
• Printing An awl or pick for extracting letters from set type. (noun)
• A dagger or stiletto. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The surname Botkin comes from the Old English word bodkin, which is also spelled bodekin, and refers to a short, pointed weapon or dagger."
• "Oh, and can we all consider using the word bodkin more in 2010?"
• "Meanwhile, the time is long past when the measure adopted by the Congress last week could be described as a bodkin in a fountain or a finger in a dike."