knave

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English

Etymology

From Middle English knave, knafe, from Old English cnafa (“child, boy, youth; servant”), from Proto-Germanic *knabô (“boy, youth”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnebʰ- (“to press, tighten”), from Proto-Indo-European *gen- (“to pinch, squeeze, bend, press together, ball”). Cognate with German Knabe (“lad”), Dutch knaap (“lad”), Danish knabe, Icelandic knapi. Related also to knape.

Pronunciation

Noun

knave (plural knaves)

  1. (archaic) A boy; especially, a boy servant.
  2. (archaic) Any male servant; a menial.
  3. A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person.
    Synonyms: rogue, villain
    • Template:RQ:Frgsn Zlnstn
      I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.
    • 1977, Geoffrey Chaucer (in Modern English translation), The Canterbury Tales, Penguin Classics, p. 204:
      God's bones! Whenever I go to beat those knaves / my tapsters, out she [my wife] comes with clubs and staves, / "Go on!" she screams — and it's a caterwaul — / "You kill those dogs! Break back and bones and all!"
  4. (card games) A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English cnafa, from Proto-Germanic *knabô. Compare knape.

Pronunciation

Noun

knave (plural knaves or knaven)

  1. son, male child (offspring)
  2. boy, lad, male child or baby
  3. guy, bloke, man
  4. servant, hireling, menial
  5. peasant, lowly individual
  6. infantryman, soldier
  7. knave, caitiff, despicable individual

Related terms

Descendants

  • English: knave
  • Scots: knave, knafe, knaif

References

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