Chapter 869

Knuc"kle (?) , n. [OE. knokel , knokil , AS. cuncel ; akin to D. knokkel , OFries. knokele , knokle , G. kn\'94chel , Sw. knoge , Dan. knokkel , G. knochen bone, and perh. to E. knock .] 1. The joint of a finger, particularly when made prominent by the closing of the fingers.

Davenant.

2. The kneejoint, or middle joint, of either leg of a quadruped, especially of a calf; -- formerly used of the kneejoint of a human being.

With weary knuckles on thy brim she kneeled sadly down. Golding.

3. The joint of a plant. [Obs.]

Bacon.

4. (Mech.) The joining pars of a hinge through which the pin or rivet passes; a knuckle joint.

5. (Shipbuilding) A convex portion of a vessel's figure where a sudden change of shape occurs, as in a canal boat, where a nearly vertical side joins a nearly flat bottom.

6. A contrivance, usually of brass or iron, and furnished with points, worn to protect the hand, to add force to a blow, and to disfigure the person struck; as, brass knuckles ; -- called also knuckle duster . [Slang.]

Knuckle joint (Mach.) , a hinge joint, in which a projection with an eye, on one piece, enters a jaw between two corresponding projections with eyes, on another piece, and is retained by a pin which passes through the eyes and forms the pivot. -- Knuckle of veal (Cookery) , the lower part of a leg of veal, from the line of the body to the knuckle.

Knuckle <Xpage=819>

Knuc"kle , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Knuckled (?) ;; p. pr. & vb. n. Knuckling (?) .] To yield; to submit; -- used with down , to , or under .

To knuckle to . (a) To submit to in a contest; to yield to . [Colloq.] See To knock under , under Knock , v. i. (b) To apply one's self vigorously or earnestly to; as, to knuckle to work. [Colloq.]

Knuckle <Xpage=819>

Knuc"kle , v. t. To beat with the knuckles; to pommel. [R.]

Horace Smith.

Knuckled <Xpage=819>

Knuc"kled (?) , a. Jointed. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Knuff <Xpage=819>

Knuff (?) , n. [Cf. Cnof a churl.] A lout; a clown. [Obs.]

The country knuffs , Hob, Dick, and Hick, With clubs and clouted shoon. Hayward.

Knur <Xpage=819>

Knur , n. [See Knurl .] A knurl.

Woodward.

Knurl <Xpage=819>

Knurl (?) , n. [See Knar , Gnar .] A contorted knot in wood; a crossgrained protuberance; a nodule; a boss or projection.

2. One who, or that which, is crossgrained.

Knurl <Xpage=819>

Knurl (?) , v. t. To provide with ridges, to assist the grasp, as in the edge of a flat knob, or coin; to mill.

Knurled <Xpage=819>

Knurled (?) , a. 1. Full of knots; gnarled.

2. Milled, as the head of a screw, or the edge of a coin.

Knurly <Xpage=819>

Knurl"y (?) , [ Compar. Knurlier (<?/) ; superl. Knurliest .] [See Knur , and cf. Gnarly .] Full of knots; hard; tough; hence, capable of enduring or resisting much.

Knurry <Xpage=819>

Knur"ry (?) , a. Full of knots. [Obs.]

Drayton.

Koaita <Xpage=819>

Ko*ai"ta (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Same as Coaita .

Koala <Xpage=819>

Ko*a"la (?) , n. A tailless marsupial ( Phascolarctos cinereus ), found in Australia. The female carries her young on the back of her neck. Called also Australian bear , native bear , and native sloth . <-- and koala bear. -->

Kob, Koba <Xpage=819>

Kob (?) , Ko"ba (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of African antelopes of the genus Kobus , esp. the species Kobus sing-sing .

Kobalt <Xpage=819>

Ko"balt (?) , n. See Cobalt .

Kobellite <Xpage=819>

Ko"bel*lite , n. [From Franz von Kobell , of Munich.] (Min.) A blackish gray mineral, a sulphide of antimony, bismuth, and lead.

Kobold <Xpage=819>

Ko"bold (?) , n. [G., perh. orig., house god, hose protector. See Cobalt ] A kind of domestic spirit in German mythology, corresponding to the Scottish brownie and the English Robin Goodfellow.

Kodak <Xpage=819>

Ko"dak (?) , n. A kind of portable camera.

Koel <Xpage=819>

Ko"el (?) , n. [Native name in India.] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of cuckoos of the genus Eudynamys , found in India, the East Indies, and Australia. They deposit their eggs in the nests of other birds.

Koff <Xpage=819>

Koff (?) , n. [D. kof .] A two-masted Dutch vessel.

Kohinoor, Kohnur <Xpage=819>

Koh`i*noor" , Koh`*nur (?) , n. [Per. koh-i-n<?/r , lit., mountain of light.] A famous diamond, surrendered to the British crown on the annexation of the Punjab. According to Hindoo legends, it was found in a Golconda mine, and has been the property of various Hindoo and Persian rulers.

Kohl <Xpage=819>

Kohl (?) , n. [See Alcohol .] A mixture of soot and other ingredients, used by Egyptian and other Eastern women to darken the edges of the eyelids.

Kohl-rabi <Xpage=819>

Kohl"-ra`bi (?) , n. ; pl. Kohl-rabies (#) . [G. Cf. Cole , Rape the plant.] (Bot.) A variety of cabbage, in which the edible part is a large, turnip-shaped swelling of the stem, above the surface of the ground.

Kokama <Xpage=819>

Ko*ka"ma (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The gemsbok.

Koklass <Xpage=819>

Ko"klass (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any pheasant of the genus Pucrasia . The birds of this genus inhabit India and China, and are distinguished by having a long central and two lateral crests on the head. Called also pucras .

Kokoon <Xpage=819>

Ko*koon" (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The gnu.

Kolarian <Xpage=819>

Ko*la"ri*an (?) , n. (Ethnol.) An individual of one of the races of aboriginal inhabitants which survive in Hindostan. -- a. Of or pertaining to the Kolarians.

Komenic <Xpage=819>

Ko*me"nic (?) , a. [Prob. G. mekon in (by transposition of letters) + -ic .] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to, or designating, an acid derived from meconic acid. [Written also comenic .]

Komtok <Xpage=819>

Kom"tok (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) An African freshwater fish ( Protopterus annectens ), belonging to the Dipnoi. It can breathe air by means of its lungs, and when waters dry up, it encases itself in a nest of hard mud, where it remains till the rainy season. It is used as food.

Kon <Xpage=819>

Kon (?) , v. t. To know. See Can , and Con . [Obs.]

Ye konnen thereon as much as any man. Chaucer.

Konite <Xpage=819>

Ko"nite (?) , n. (Min.) See Conite .

Konze <Xpage=819>

Konze (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A large African antelope ( Alcelaphus Lichtensteini ), allied to the hartbeest, but having shorter and flatter horns, and lacking a black patch on the face.

Koodoo <Xpage=819>

Koo"doo (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A large South African antelope ( Strepsiceros kudu ). The males have graceful spiral horns, sometimes four feet long. The general color is reddish or grayish brown, with eight or nine white bands on each side, and a pale dorsal stripe. The old males become dark bluish gray, due to the skin showing through the hair. The females are hornless. Called also nellut . [Written also kudu .]

Kookoom <Xpage=819>

Koo"koom (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The oryx or gemsbok. [Written also kookaam .]

Koolokamba <Xpage=819>

Koo`lo*kam"ba (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A west African anthropoid ape ( Troglodytes koolokamba , or T. Aubryi ), allied to the chimpanzee and gorilla, and, in some respects, intermediate between them.

Koolslaa <Xpage=819>

Kool"slaa` (?) , n. See Coleslaw .

Koord <Xpage=819>

Koord (?) , n. See Kurd .

Koordish <Xpage=819>

Koord"ish , n. See Kurdish .

Koorilian <Xpage=819>

Koo*ril"i*an (?) , a & n. Same as Kurilian .

Kopeck <Xpage=819>

Ko"peck (?) , n. [Russ. kopeika .] A small Russian coin. One hundred kopecks make a rouble, worth about sixty cents<-- in 1910, but three hundredths of a cent at the end of 1994. By 1992, obsolete and no longer minted. -->. [Written also kopek , copec , and copeck .]

Koran <Xpage=819>

Ko"ran (?; 277) , n. [Ar. gor\'ben . See Alcoran .] The Scriptures of the Mohammedans, containing the professed revelations to Mohammed; -- called also Alcoran . [Written also Kuran or Quran .]

Korin <Xpage=819>

Ko"rin (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The gazelle.

Korrigum <Xpage=819>

Kor"ri*gum (?) , n. [Native name.] (Zo\'94l.) A West African antelope ( Damalis Senegalensis ), allied to the sassaby. It is reddish gray, with a black face, and a black stripe on the outside of the legs above the knees.

Kosmos <Xpage=819>

Kos"mos (?) , n. See Cosmos .

Gladstone.

Kotow <Xpage=819>

Ko*tow" (?) , n. [Chinese, knock head.] The prostration made by mandarins and others to their superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the forehead on the ground. There are degrees in the rite, the highest being expressed by three knockings. [China] <-- now now kowtow -->

S. W. Williams.

Kotow <Xpage=819>

Ko*tow" , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Kotowed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Kotowing .] To perform the kotow. <-- now kowtow -->

Koulan <Xpage=819>

Kou"lan (?) , n. [Native name.] (Zo\'94l.) A wild horse ( Equus , or Asinus, onager ) inhabiting the plants of Central Asia; -- called also gour , khur , and onager . [Written also kulan .]

&hand; It is sometimes confounded with the dziggetai, to which it is closely related. It is gray in winter, but fulvous in summer. It has a well defined, dark, dorsal stripe, and a short, erect mane. In size, it is intermediate between the horse and ass.

Koumiss <Xpage=819>

Kou"miss (?) , n. [Russ. kumys ; of Mongolian origin.] An intoxicating fermented or distilled liquor originally made by the Tartars from mare's or camel's milk. It can be obtained from any kind of milk, and is now largely made in Europe. [Written also koumyss , kumiss , kumish , and kumys .]

Koumiss has from time immemorial served the Tartar instead of wine or spirits. J. H. Newman.

Kousso <Xpage=819>

Kous"so (?) , n. (Bot.) An Abyssinian rosaceous tree ( Brayera anthelmintica ), the flowers of which are used as a vermifuge. [Written also cusso and kosso .]

Kowtow <Xpage=819>

Kow*tow" (?) , n. & v. i. The same as Kotow .

I have salaamed and kowtowed to him. H. James.

Kra <Xpage=819>

Kra (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A long-tailed ape ( Macacus cynomolgus ) of India and Sumatra. It is reddish olive, spotted with black, and has a black tail.

Kraal <Xpage=819>

Kraal (?; 277) , n. [D., a village, inclosure, park, prob. fr. Pg. curral a cattle pen; the same word as Sp. corral . See Corral .] 1. A collection of huts within a stockade; a village; sometimes, a single hut. [South Africa]

2. An inclosure into which are driven wild elephants which are to be tamed and educated. [Ceylon]

Krait <Xpage=819>

Krait (?) , n. [Native name.] (Zo\'94l.) A very venomous snake of India ( Bungarus c\'d2ruleus ), allied to the cobra. Its upper parts are bluish or brownish black, often with narrow white streaks; the belly is whitish.

Kraken <Xpage=819>

Kra"ken (?) , n. [Prob. from OSw. krake , or ODan. krage the trunk of a tree, the branches of which are not entirely cut off, to which it was likened by the Norwegian mariners.] A fabulous Scandinavian sea monster, often represented as resembling an island, but sometimes as resembling an immense octopus.

To believe all that has been said of the sea serpent or kraken , would be credulity; to reject the possibility of their existence, would be presumption. Goldsmith.

Like a kraken huge and black. Longfellow.

Krakowiak <Xpage=819>

Kra*ko"wi*ak (?) , n. (Mus.) A lively Polish dance. See Cracovienne .

Krameria <Xpage=819>

Kra*me"ri*a (?) , n. [NL. So called after the German botanists, J. G. H. & W. H. Kramer .] (Bot.) A genus of spreading shrubs with many stems, from one species of which ( K. triandra ), found in Peru, rhatany root, used as a medicine, is obtained.

Krameric <Xpage=819>

Kra*mer"ic (?) , a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, Krameria (rhatany); as, krameric acid, usually called ratanhia-tannic acid .

Krang <Xpage=819>

Krang (?) , n. [Cf. D. kreng a carcass.] The carcass of a whale after the blubber has been removed. [Written also crang and kreng .]

Kranging hook <Xpage=819>

Krang"ing hook` (?) . (Whaling) A hook for holding the blubber while cutting it away. [Written also cranging hook .]

Kreatic <Xpage=819>

Kre*at"ic (?) , a. See Creatic .

Kreatin <Xpage=819>

Kre"a*tin (?) , n. (Chem.) See Creatin .

Kreatinin <Xpage=819>

Kre*at"i*nin (?) , n. (Chem.) See Creatinin .

Kreel <Xpage=819>

Kreel (?) , n. See Creel .

Kremlin <Xpage=819>

Krem"lin (?) , n. [Russ. kremle .] The citadel of a town or city; especially, the citadel of Moscow, a large inclosure which contains imperial palaces, cathedrals, churches, an arsenal, etc. [Russia]

<-- (metaphorically) the government of Russia (or, 1920-1992, of the Soviet Union) -->

Krems <Xpage=819>

Krems (?) , n. A variety of white lead. See Krems lead , under Lead , n.

Kreng <Xpage=819>

Kreng (?) , n. See Krang .

Kreosote <Xpage=819>

Kre"o*sote (?) , n. See Creosote.

Kreutzer <Xpage=819>

Kreut"zer (?) , n. [G. kreuzer .] A small copper coin formerly used in South Germany; also, a small Austrian copper coin. [Written also kreuzer .]

Kriegsspiel <Xpage=819>

Kriegs"spiel` (<?/) , n. [G., fr. krieg war + spiel play.] A game of war, played for practice, on maps.

Farrow.

Kris <Xpage=819>

Kris (?) , n. A Malay dagger. See Creese .

Krishna <Xpage=819>

Krish"na (<?/) , n. [Skr. <?/.] (Hindoo Myth.) The most popular of the Hindoo divinities, usually held to be the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu.

<page="820"> Page 820

Kritarchy <Xpage=820>

Kri"tarch*y (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ judge + <?/ beginning, government.] The rule of the judges over Israel.

Samson, Jephthah, Gideon, and other heroes of the kritarchy . Southey.

Krokidolite <Xpage=820>

Kro*kid"o*lite (?) , n. (Min.) See Crocidolite .

Krone <Xpage=820>

Kro"ne (?) , n. [Dan.] A coin of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, of the value of about twenty-eight cents. See Crown , n. , 9.

Krooman <Xpage=820>

Kroo"man (?) , n. ; pl. Kroomen (<?/) . One of a negro tribe of Liberia and the adjacent coast, whose members are much employed on shipboard.

Kruller <Xpage=820>

Krul"ler (?) , n. See Cruller .

Krummhorn, Krumhorn <Xpage=820>

Krumm"horn` , Krum"horn` (?) , n. [G. krummhorn horn.] (Mus.) (a) A reed instrument of music of the cornet kind, now obsolete (see Cornet , 1, a. ) (b) A reed stop in the organ; -- sometimes called cremona .

Krupp gun <Xpage=820>

Krupp" gun" (?) . A breech-loading steel cannon manufactured at the works of Friedrich Krupp , at Essen in Prussia. Guns of over eight-inch bore are made up of several concentric cylinders; those of a smaller size are forged solid.

Knight.

Kryolite <Xpage=820>

Kry"o*lite (?) , n. (Min.) See Cryolite .

Ksar <Xpage=820>

Ksar (?) , n. See Czar .

Kshatriya, Kshatruya <Xpage=820>

Ksha"tri*ya (?) , Ksha"tru*ya (?) , n. [Skr. kshatriya one belonging to the military caste.] The military caste, the second of the four great Hindoo castes; also, a member of that caste. See Caste . [India]

Kuda <Xpage=820>

Ku"da (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The East Indian tapir. See Tapir .

Kudos <Xpage=820>

Ku"dos (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. ky^dos glory.] Glory; fame; renown; praise.

W. H. Russel.

Kudos <Xpage=820>

Ku"dos , v. t. To praise; to extol; to glorify. " Kudos'd egregiously." [R.]

Southey.

Kudu <Xpage=820>

Ku"du (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Koodoo .

Kufic <Xpage=820>

Ku"fic (?) , a. See Cufic .

Kukang <Xpage=820>

Ku*kang" (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) [Native name.] The slow lemur. See Lemur .

Kuklux <Xpage=820>

Ku`klux" (?) , n. The name adopted in the southern part of the United States by a secret political organization, active for several years after the close of the Civil War, and having for its aim the repression of the political power of the freedmen; -- called also Kuklux Klan . <-- also spelled Ku Klux Klan, also called the Klan. -->

Kulan <Xpage=820>

Ku"lan (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Koulan .

Kumish, Kumiss <Xpage=820>

Ku"mish (?) , Ku"miss (?) , n. See Koumiss .

Kummel <Xpage=820>

Kum"mel (?) , n. [G. k\'81mmel cumin, caraway seed, L. cuminum . Cf. Cumin .] A Russian and German liqueur, consisting of a sweetened spirit flavored with caraway seeds.

Kumquat <Xpage=820>

Kum"quat (?) , n. [Chin. kin keu .] (Bot.) A small tree of the genus Citrus ( C. Japonica ) growing in China and Japan; also, its small acid, orange-colored fruit used for preserves.

Kupfernickel <Xpage=820>