Part 528

Knav"ish, a. 1. Like or characteristic of a knave; given to knavery; trickish; fraudulent; dishonest; villainous; as, a knavish fellow, or a knavish trick. "Knavish politicians." Macaulay.

2. Mischievous; roguish; waggish.

Cupid is knavish lad, Thus to make poor females mad.

Shak.

Knav"ish*ly, adv. 1. In a knavish manner; dishonestly; fraudulently. Holland.

2. Mischievously; waggishly; roguishly. "Knavishly witty." Gayton.

Knav"ish*ness, n. The quality or state of being knavish; knavery; dishonesty.

Knaw (n), v. t. See Gnaw. [Obs.] Sir T. More.

Knaw"el (n"l), n. [Akin to G. knauelk, knäuel, prop., a ball of thread, coil. Cf. Clew.] (Bot.) A low, spreading weed (Scleranthus annuus), common in sandy soil.

Knead (nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Kneaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Kneading.] [OE. kneden, As. cnedan; akin to D. kneden, G. kneten, Sw. knåda, Icel. knoða; cf. OSlav. gnesti.] 1. To work and press into a mass, usually with the hands; esp., to work, as by repeated pressure with the knuckles, into a well mixed mass, as the materials of bread, cake, etc.; as, to knead dough.

The kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking.

Shak.

2. Fig.: To treat or form as by kneading; to beat.

I will knead him : I'll make him supple.

Shak.

Kneading trough, a trough or tray in which dough is kneaded. Ex. viii. 3.

Knead"a*ble (?), a. That may be kneaded; capable of being worked into a mass.

Knead"er (?), n. One who kneads.

Knead"ing*ly, adv. In the manner of one kneading.

Kne"bel*ite (?), n. [From Major von Knebel.] (Min.) A mineral of a gray, red, brown, or green color, and glistening luster. It is a silicate of iron and manganese.

Kneck (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Naut.) The twisting of a rope or cable, as it is running out. [Eng.]

Knee (n), n. [OE. kne, cneo, As. cneó, cneów; akin to OS. knio, kneo, OFries. kn, G. & D. knie, OHG. chniu, chneo, Icel. kn, Sw. knä, Dan. knæ, Goth. kniu, L. genu, Gr. go`ny, Skr. jnu, √231. Cf. Genuflection.] 1. In man, the joint in the middle part of the leg.

2. (Anat.) (a) The joint, or region of the joint, between the thigh and leg. (b) In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in man.

3. (Mech. & Shipbuilding) A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.

4. A bending of the knee, as in respect or courtesy.

Give them title, knee, and approbation.

Shak.

Knee breeches. See under Breeches. -- Knee holly, Knee holm (Bot.), butcher's broom. -- Knee jerk (Physiol.) a jerk or kick produced by a blow or sudden strain upon the patellar tendon of the knee, which causes a sudden contraction of the quadriceps muscle; one of the so-called tendon reflexes. -- Knee joint. See in the Vocabulary. -- Knee timber, timber with knees or angles in it. -- Knee tribute, or Knee worship, tribute paid by kneeling; worship by genuflection. [Obs.] "Knee tribute yet unpaid." Milton.