Chapter 867

Each matin bell, the baron saith, Knells us back to a world of death. Coleridge.

Knelt <Xpage=816>

Knelt (?) , imp. & p. p. of Kneel .

Knew <Xpage=816>

Knew (?) , imp. of Know .

Knicker <Xpage=816>

Knick"er (?) , n. [D. knikker .] A small ball of clay, baked hard and oiled, used as a marble by boys in playing. [Prov. Eng. & U. S.]

Halliwell. Bartlett.

Knickerbockers <Xpage=816>

Knick"er*bock`ers (?) , n. pl. The name for a style of short breeches; smallclothes.

Knickknack <Xpage=816>

Knick"knack` (?) , n. [See Knack .] A trifle or toy; a bawble; a gewgaw.

Knickknackatory <Xpage=816>

Knick"knack`a*to*ry (?) , n. A collection of knickknacks.

Richardson.

Knickknackery <Xpage=816>

Knick"knack`er*y (?) , n. Knickknacks.

Knife <Xpage=816>

Knife (?) , n. ; pl. Knives (#) . [OE. knif , AS. cn\'c6f ; akin to D. knijf , Icel. kn\'c6fr , Sw. knif , Dan. kniv .] 1. An instrument consisting of a thin blade, usually of steel and having a sharp edge for cutting, fastened to a handle, but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife , drawing knife , putty knife , pallet knife , pocket knife , pen knife , chopping knife , etc. /as>.

2. A sword or dagger.

The coward conquest of a wretch's knife . Shak.

Knife grass (Bot.) a tropical American sedge ( Scleria latifolia ), having leaves with a very sharp and hard edge, like a knife. -- War to the knife , mortal combat; a conflict carried to the last extremity.

Knife <Xpage=816>

Knife , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Knifed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Knifing (?) .] 1. (Hort.) To prune with the knife.

2. To cut or stab with a knife. [Low]

Knifeboard <Xpage=816>

Knife"board` (?) , n. A board on which knives are cleaned or polished.

Knifeedge <Xpage=816>

Knife"*edge` (?) , n. (Mech.) A piece of steel sharpened to an acute edge or angle, and resting on a smooth surface, serving as the axis of motion of a pendulum, scale beam, or other piece required to oscillate with the least possible friction.

Knife-edge file . See Illust . of File .

Knight <Xpage=816>

Knight (?) , n. [OE. knight , cniht , knight, soldier, As. cniht , cneoht , a boy, youth, attendant, military follower; akin to D. & G. knecht servant; perh. akin to E. kin .] 1. A young servant or follower; a military attendant. [Obs.]

2. (a) In feudal times, a man-at-arms serving on horseback and admitted to a certain military rank with special ceremonies, including an oath to protect the distressed, maintain the right, and live a stainless life. (b) One on whom knighthood, a dignity next below that of baronet, is conferred by the sovereign, entitling him to be addressed as Sir ; as, Sir John . [Eng.] Hence: (c) A champion; a partisan; a lover. "Give this ring to my true knight ." Shak "In all your quarrels will I be your knight ."

Tennyson.

Knights , by their oaths, should right poor ladies' harms. Shak.

&hand; Formerly, when a knight's name was not known, it was customary to address him as Sir Knight . The rank of a knight is not hereditary.

3. A piece used in the game of chess, usually bearing a horse's head.

4. A playing card bearing the figure of a knight; the knave or jack. [Obs.]

Carpet knight . See under Carpet . -- Knight of industry . See Chevalier d'industrie , under Chevalier . -- Knight of Malta , Knight of Rhodes , Knight of St. John of Jerusalem . See Hospitaler . -- Knight of the post , one who gained his living by giving false evidence on trials, or false bail; hence, a sharper in general. Nares . "A knight of the post , . . . quoth he, for so I am termed; a fellow that will swear you anything for twelve pence." -- Nash . -- Knight of the shire , in England, one of the representatives of a county in Parliament, in distinction from the representatives of cities and boroughs. -- Knights commanders , Knights grand cross , different classes of the Order of the Bath. See under Bath , and Companion . Knights of labor , a secret organization whose professed purpose is to secure and maintain the rights of workingmen as respects their relations to their employers. [U. S.] -- Knights of Pythias , a secret order, founded in Washington, d.C., in 1864, for social and charitable purposes. -- Knights of the Round Table , knights belonging to an order which, according to the legendary accounts, was instituted by the mythical King Arthur. They derived their common title from the table around which they sat on certain solemn days.

Brande & C.

Knight <Xpage=816>

Knight , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Knighted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Knighting .] To dub or create (one) a knight; -- done in England by the sovereign only, who taps the kneeling candidate with a sword, saying: Rise, Sir ---.

A soldier, by the honor-giving hand Of C<?/ur-de-Lion knighted in the field. Shak.

Knightage <Xpage=816>

Knight"age (?) , n. To body of knights, taken collectively.

Knight bachelor <Xpage=816>

Knight" bach"e*lor (?) ; pl. Knights bachelors (<?/) . A knight of the most ancient, but lowest, order of English knights, and not a member of any order of chivalry. See Bachelor , 4.

Knight banneret <Xpage=816>

Knight" ban"ner*et (?) ; pl. Knights bannerets . A knight who carried a banner, who possessed fiefs to a greater amount than the knight bachelor, and who was obliged to serve in war with a greater number of attendants. The dignity was sometimes conferred by the sovereign in person on the field of battle.

Knight baro-net <Xpage=816>

Knight" bar"o-net (?) . See Baronet .

Knight-errant <Xpage=816>

Knight"-er`rant (?) , n. ; pl. Knight-errants , or Knights-errant . A wandering knight; a knight who traveled in search of adventures, for the purpose of exhibiting military skill, prowess, and generosity.

Knight-errantry <Xpage=816>

Knight"-er`rant*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Knight-errantries (<?/) . The character or actions of wandering knights; the practice of wandering in quest of adventures; chivalry; a quixotic or romantic adventure or scheme. <-- # in original, the "pl." mark is absent, and is added for consistency with other entries. -->

The rigid guardian [ i. e. , conscience] of a blameless heart Is weak with rank knight-erratries o'errun. Young.

Knight-er-ratic <Xpage=816>

Knight"-er-rat"ic (?) , a. Pertaining to a knight-errant or to knight-errantry. [R.]

Quart. Rev.

Knighthead <Xpage=816>

Knight"head` (?) , n. (Naut.) A bollard timber. See under Bollard .

Knighthood <Xpage=816>

Knight"hood (?) , n. [ Knight + hood : cf. AS. chihth\'bed youth.] 1. The character, dignity, or condition of a knight, or of knights as a class; hence, chivalry. "O shame to knighthood ."

Shak.

If you needs must write, write C\'91sar's praise; You 'll gain at least a knighthood , or the bays. Pope.

2. The whole body of knights.

The knighthood nowadays are nothing like the knighthood of old time. Chapman.

&hand; "When the order of knighthood was conferred with full solemnity in the leisure of a court or court or city, imposing preliminary ceremonies were required of the candidate. He prepared himself by prayer and fasting, watched his arms at night in a chapel, and was then admitted with the performance of religious rites. Knighthood was conferred by the accolade , which, from the derivation of the name, would appear to have been originally an embrace; but afterward consisted, as it still does, in a blow of the flat of a sword on the back of the kneeling candidate."

Brande & C.

Knightless <Xpage=816>

Knight"less , a. Unbecoming a knight. [Obs.] " Knightless guile."

Spenser.

Knightliness <Xpage=816>

Knight"li*ness (?) , n. The character or bearing suitable for a knight; chivalry.

Spenser.

Knightly <Xpage=816>

Knight`ly , a. [AS. cnihtlic boyish.] Of or pertaining to a knight; becoming a knight; chivalrous; as, a knightly combat; a knightly spirit.

For knightly jousts and fierce encounters fit. Spenser.

[Excuses] full knightly without scorn. Tennyson.

Knightly <Xpage=816>

Knight"ly , adv. In a manner becoming a knight .

And why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms. Shak.

Knight marshal <Xpage=816>

Knight" mar"shal (?) . (Eng. Law) An officer in the household of the British sovereign, who has cognizance of transgressions within the royal household and verge, and of contracts made there, a member of the household being one of the parties.

Wharton.

Knight service <Xpage=816>

Knight" serv"ice (?) . (Eng. Feud. Law) A tenure of lands held by knights on condition of performing military service. See Chivalry , n. , 4.

Knight Templar <Xpage=816>

Knight" Tem"plar (?) ; pl. Knights Templars (<?/) . See Commandery , n. , 3, and also Templar , n. , 1 and 3.

Knit <Xpage=816>

Knit (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Knit or Knitted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Knitting .] [OE. knitten , knutten , As. cnyttan , fr. cnotta knot; akin to Icel. kn<?/ta , Sw. knyta , Dan. knytte . See Knot .] 1. To form into a knot, or into knots; to tie together, as cord; to fasten by tying.

A great sheet knit at the four corners. Acts x. 11.

When your head did but ache, I knit my handkercher about your brows. Shak.

2. To form, as a textile fabric, by the interlacing of yarn or thread in a series of connected loops, by means of needles, either by hand or by machinery; as, to knit stockings .

3. To join; to cause to grow together.

Nature can not knit the bones while the parts are under a discharge. Wiseman.

4. To unite closely; to connect; to engage; as, hearts knit together in love .

Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit . Shak.

Come , knit hands, and beat the ground, In a light fantastic round. Milton.

A link among the days, to knit The generations each to each. Tennyson.

5. To draw together; to contract into wrinkles.

<?/<?/<?/ knits his brow and shows an angry eye. Shak.

Knit <Xpage=816>

Knit , v. i. 1. To form a fabric by interlacing yarn or thread; to weave by making knots or loops.

2. To be united closely; to grow together; as, broken bones will in time knit and become sound .

To knit up , to wind up; to conclude; to come to a close. "It remaineth to knit up briefly with the nature and compass of the seas." [Obs.]

Holland.

Knit <Xpage=816>

Knit , n. Union knitting; texture.

Shak.

Knitback <Xpage=816>

Knit"back` (?) , n. (Bot.) The plant comfrey; -- so called from its use as a restorative.

Dr. Prier.

Knitch, Knitchet <Xpage=816>

Knitch (?) , Knitch"et (?) , n. [Cf. Knit .] A number of things tied or knit together; a bundle; a fagot. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

When they [stems of asphodel] be dried, they ought to be made up into knitchets , or handfuls. Holland.

Knits <Xpage=816>

Knits (?) , n. pl. [Prob. same word as nit a louse's egg.] (Mining) Small particles of ore.

Raymond.

Knitster <Xpage=816>

Knit"ster (?) , n. A woman who knits. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Knitter <Xpage=816>

Knit"ter (?) , n. One who, or that which, knits, joins, or unites; a knitting machine.

Shak.

Knitting <Xpage=816>

Knit"ting (?) , n. 1. The work of a knitter; the network formed by knitting.

2. Union formed by knitting, as of bones.

Knitting machine , one of a number of contrivances for mechanically knitting stockings, jerseys, and the like. -- Knitting <?/eedle , a stiff rod, as of steel wire, with rounded ends for knitting yarn or threads into a fabric, as in stockings. -- Knitting sheath , a sheath to receive the end of a needle in knitting.

Knittle <Xpage=816>

Knit"tle (?) , n. [From Knit .] 1. A string that draws together a purse or bag. [Prov. Eng.]

Wright.

2. pl. (Naut.) See Nettles .

Knives <Xpage=816>

Knives (?) , n. pl. of Knife . See Knife .

Knob <Xpage=816>

Knob (?) , n. [A modification of knop . Cf. Nob .] 1. A hard protuberance; a hard swelling or rising; a bunch; a lump; as, a knob in the flesh, or on a bone .

2. A knoblike ornament or handle; as, the knob of a lock, door, or drawer .

Chaucer.

3. A rounded hill or mountain; as, the Pilot Knob . [U. S.]

Bartlett.

4. (Arch.) See Knop .

Knob latch , a latch which can be operated by turning a knob, without using a key.

Knob <Xpage=816>

Knob , v. i. To grow into knobs or bunches; to become knobbed. [Obs.]

Drant.

Knobbed <Xpage=816>

Knobbed (?) , a. Containing knobs; full of knobs; ending in a nob. See Illust of Antenna .

The horns of a roe deer of Greenland are pointed at the top, and knobbed or tuberous at the bottom. Grew.

Knobber <Xpage=816>

Knob"ber (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Knobbler .

Knobbing <Xpage=816>

Knob"bing (?) , n. (Stone Quarrying) Rough dressing by knocking off knobs or projections.

Knobbler <Xpage=816>

Knob"bler , n. (Zo\'94l.) The hart in its second year; a young deer. [Written also knobber .]

Halliwell.

He has hallooed the hounds upon a velvet-headed knobbler . Sir W. Scott.

Knobbling fire <Xpage=816>

Knob"bling fire (?) . A bloomery fire. See Bloomery .

Knobby <Xpage=816>

Knob"by , a. [From Knob .] 1. Full of, or covered with, knobs or hard protuberances.

Dr. H. More.

2. Irregular; stubborn in particulars. [Obs.]

The informers continued in a knobby kind of obstinacy. Howell.

3. Abounding in rounded hills or mountains; hilly. [U.S.]

Bartlett.

Knobstick <Xpage=816>

Knob"stick` (?) , n. One who refuses to join, or withdraws from, a trades union. [Cant, Eng.]

Knock <Xpage=816>

Knock (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Knocked (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Knocking .] [OE. knoken , AS. cnocian , cnucian ; prob. of imitative origin; cf. Sw. knacka .Cf. Knack .] 1. To drive or be driven against something; to strike against something; to clash; as, one heavy body knocks against another .

Bacon.

2. To strike or beat with something hard or heavy; to rap; as, to knock with a club; to knock on the door.

For harbor at a thousand doors they knocked . Dryden.

Seek, and ye shall find; knock , and it shall be opened unto you. Matt. vii. 7.

To knock about , to go about, taking knocks or rough usage; to wander about; to saunter. [Colloq.] " Knocking about town ." W. Irving . -- To knock up , to fail of strength; to become wearied or worn out, as with labor; to give out. "The horses were beginning to knock up under the fatigue of such severe service." De Quincey . <-- (b) to make pregnant (vulgar) --> -- To knock off , to cease, as from work; to desist. -- To knock under , to yield; to submit; to acknowledge one's self conquered; -- an expression probably borrowed from the practice of knocking under the table with the knuckles, when conquered. "Colonel Esmond knocked under to his fate." Thackeray .

Knock <Xpage=816>

Knock (?) , v. t. 1. To strike with something hard or heavy; to move by striking; to drive (a thing) against something; as, to knock a ball with a bat; to knock the head against a post; to knock a lamp off the table.

When heroes knock their knotty heads together. Rowe.

2. To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.

Master, knock the door hard. Shak.

To knock down . (a) To strike down; to fell; to prostrate by a blow or by blows; as, to knock down an assailant . (b) To assign to a bidder at an auction, by a blow or knock; to knock off. -- To knock in the head , &or; on the head , to stun or kill by a blow upon the head; hence, to put am end to; to defeat, as a scheme or project; to frustrate; to quash. [Colloq.] -- To knock off . (a) To force off by a blow or by beating. (b) To assign to a bidder at an auction, by a blow on the counter . (c) To leave off (work, etc.) . [Colloq.] -- To knock out , to force out by a blow or by blows; as, to knock out the brains . -- To knock up . (a) To arouse by knocking . (b) To beat or tire out; to fatigue till unable to do more; as, the men were entirely knocked up . [Colloq.] "The day being exceedingly hot, the want of food had knocked up my followers." Petherick . (c) (Bookbinding) To make even at the edges, or to shape into book form, as printed sheets. <-- (d) To make pregnant. [vulgar: Often used in passive, "she got knocked up"] -->

<-- [MW10]: Knock off (a) v. i. and t. to quit (working). (b) accomplish, frequently used when the task is accomplished rapidly. (c) (Coll.) to kill; to defeat (opponents). (d) to discount, to deduct (a sum from a price). (d) rob. (also "knock over") (e) to make a knockoff of; copy, imitate.-->

Knock <Xpage=816>

Knock , n. 1. A blow; a stroke with something hard or heavy; a jar.

2. A stroke, as on a door for admittance; a rap. " A knock at the door."

Longfellow.

A loud cry or some great knock . Holland.

Knock off , a device in a knitting machine to remove loops from the needles.

Knockdown <Xpage=816>

Knock"down` (?) , n. A felling by a knock, as of a combatant, or of an animal.

Knockdown <Xpage=816>

Knock"down` , a. Of force sufficient to fell or completely overthrow; as, a knockdown blow; a knockdown argument. [Colloq.]

Knocker <Xpage=816>

Knock"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, knocks; specifically, an instrument, or kind of hammer, fastened to a door, to be used in seeking for admittance.