knack

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Use as "special skill" from 1580.[1] Possibly from 14th century Middle English krak (a sharp blow), knakke, knakken, from Middle Low German, by (onomatopoeia). Latter cognate to German knacken (to crack). See also crack.

Pronunciation [edit]

Noun [edit]

knack (plural knacks)

  1. A readiness in performance; aptness at doing something; skill; facility; dexterity.
    • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 254a.
      The sophist runs for conver to the darkness of what is not and attaches himself to it by some knack of his;
    • 2011 October 2, Jonathan Jurejko, “Bolton 1 - 5 Chelsea”, BBC Sport:
      And the Premier League's all-time top-goalscoring midfielder proved he has not lost the knack of being in the right place at the right time with a trio of clinical finishes.
  2. A petty contrivance; a toy; a plaything; a knickknack.
  3. Something performed, or to be done, requiring aptness and dexterity; a trick; a device.

Usage notes [edit]

Meaning is more of a special aptitude rather than a technique.

Translations [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ knack” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Verb [edit]

knack (third-person singular simple present knacks, present participle knacking, simple past and past participle knacked)

  1. To crack; to make a sharp, abrupt noise to chink.
  2. To speak affectedly.

Translations [edit]