a long curving blade fastened at an angle to a long handle, for cutting crops, esp grass or, corn, etc, or for cutting back overgrown vegetation

The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth the freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, conceives by idleness, and nothing teems but hateful docks, rough thistles … burs — Shakespeare