snickersnee(n.)
1690s, "a fight with knives," from
snick-or-snee (1610s) "to thrust and cut in knife-fighting," also
snick-a-snee,
snick-and-snee, which is suspected to be Englished from a Dutch phrase (early English uses typically are in a Dutch context). Compare Dutch
steken "to thrust, stick" (see
stick (v.)) +
snee "a cut, slice" (compare German
Schneide "edge"), which is related to
snijden "to cut" (compare German
schneiden; see
schnitzel). Modern English also borrowed
snee as "a large knife."