Snickersnee

As mentioned previously, I like checking out Google Trends on a regular basis since you never know what's going to be the hot topic of the day. The #1 spot is currently held by the wonderfully fun word, "snickersnee."

What in the world is a snickersnee? Apparently, it is either a "large sword-like knife, especially one used as a weapon" or it refers to the actual knife fight itself. Perhaps most famously, it is used in the following lines from Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado:

The criminal cried, as he dropped him down,
In a state of wild alarm —
With a frightful, frantic, fearful frown,
I bared my big right arm.
I seized him by his little pig-tail,
And on his knees fell he,
As he squirmed and struggled,
And gurgled and guggled,
I drew my snickersnee,
My snickersnee!

Oh, never shall I
Forget the cry,
Or the shriek that shrieked he,
As I gnashed my teeth,
When from its sheath
I drew my snickersnee!

What's especially puzzling is why on earth this term was being searched for, peaking at around 12 p.m.? As of yet, I've not been able to determine why. If anyone else knows, feel free to leave a comment. If I do find out, I'll update.

Edit: Mystery solved! "Snickersnee" was the answer to a $50,000 question on today's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Next task is to drop this to word into my conversations. :)