<B>knell, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>the sound of a bell rung slowly after a death or at a funeral. <BR> <I>Ex. We could hear the knell of the church bell sounding for the dead President.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) something regarded as a sign of death oras telling of a death. <BR> <I>Ex. Their refusal rang the knell of our hopes. One dreadful sound could the Rover hear ... The Devil below was ringing his knell (Robert Southey).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a mournful sound. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>(of a bell) to ring slowly, especially for a death or at a funeral; toll. <BR> <I>Ex. The sullen, huge oracular bell, Which never knells but for a princely death (Byron).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to give a warning sign of death, failure, or the like. <DD><B> 3. </B>to make a mournful sound. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to summon or call by or as if by a knell. <BR> <I>Ex. Each matin bell ... knells us back to a world of death (Samuel Taylor Coleridge).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to proclaim by or as if by a knell. <BR> <I>Ex. Its huge clocks had successively knelled three hours after midnight (Scott). (Figurative.) The surrender knelled the downfall of the tyrant.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Obsolete.) to ring (a bell), especially to ring slowly and solemnly, as for a death or at a funeral; toll. </DL>
<A NAME="knelt">
<B>knelt, </B>verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> a past tense and a past participle of <B>kneel.</B> <BR> <I>Ex. She knelt and prayed.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knesset">
<B>Knesset</B> or <B>knesset, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the Israeli parliament. <BR> <I>Ex. The Israeli government resigned this morning after last night's votes in the Knesset on motions of no confidence (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knew">
<B>knew, </B>verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> the past tense of <B>know.</B> <BR> <I>Ex. She knew the right answer.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knickerbocker">
<B>Knickerbocker, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person descended from the early Dutch settlers of New York. <DD><B> 2. </B>a person living in New York. </DL>
<A NAME="knickerbockers">
<B>knickerbockers, </B>noun pl. <B>=knickers.</B></DL>
<A NAME="knickers">
<B>knickers, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>short, loose-fitting trousers gathered in at, or just below, the knee. <BR> <I>Ex. old golfing knickers.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a kind of bloomerlike underwear, worn by women. </DL>
<A NAME="knickknack">
<B>knickknack, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a pleasing trifle; ornament; trinket. <BR> <I>Ex. The old lady surrounded herself with knicknacks.</I> (SYN) gimcrack, kickshaw. Also, <B>nicknack.</B> </DL>
<B>knife, </B>noun, pl. <B>knives,</B> verb, <B>knifed,</B> <B>knifing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1a. </B>a thin, flat, metal blade fastened in a handle so that it can be used to cut or spread. A table knife is stiff, with no joint; a pocketknife has a joint so that the sharp edge can be folded inside the handle. <BR> <I>Ex. Bought a large kitchen knife and half a dozen oyster knives (Samuel Pepys).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>any weapon having a short blade with a sharp edge and point, such as a dagger. <DD><B> 2. </B>a sharp blade forming part of a tool or machine. <BR> <I>Ex. The knives of a lawn mower cut grass.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to cut, strike, or stab with a knife. <BR> <I>Ex. The criminal knifed his victim in a rage.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(U.S. Slang., Figurative.) to strike at secretly; try to defeat in an underhand way. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to move or pass (through) as if with a knife. <BR> <I>Ex. A new superhighway ... knifes through the crowded south of Los Angeles (Wall Street Journal).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>under the knife,</B> </I>(Informal.) undergoing a surgical operation. <BR> <I>Ex. While under the knife, the patient was completely unconscious.</I> adj. <B>knifeless.</B> adj. <B>knifelike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="knifeboard">
<B>knifeboard, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a board on which knives are cleaned and polished. <DD><B> 2. </B>(British.) (formerly) the passenger seat on top of a double-deck bus; a bench placed lengthwise on which passengers sat back to back. </DL>
<A NAME="knifeedge">
<B>knife edge,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the edge of a knife. <DD><B> 2. </B>anything very sharp. <DD><B> 3. </B>a wedge on the fine edge of which a pendulum, scale beam, or the like is hung. </DL>
<A NAME="knifeedged">
<B>knife-edged, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having a thin, sharp edge, like a knife. </DL>
<A NAME="knifefish">
<B>knifefish, </B>noun, pl. <B>-fishes</B> or (collectively) <B>-fish.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a transparent, freshwater eel similar to the electric eel, found in Central and South American waters. </DL>
<A NAME="knifegrinder">
<B>knife grinder,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person whose work is grinding or sharpening knives and cutting tools. <BR> <I>Ex. ... a knife grinder working at his wheel (London Times).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a grindstone, emery wheel, or other appliance for grinding tools. <DD><B> 3. </B><B>=nightjar.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="knifemoney">
<B>knife money,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an ancient Chinese currency consisting of bronze pieces shaped like a knife. </DL>
<A NAME="knifepoint">
<B>knifepoint, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the point of a knife blade. <BR><I>expr. <B>at knifepoint,</B> </I>with a knife pointed at a person; under duress. <BR> <I>Ex. ... teachers robbed at knifepoint in their own classrooms (Harper's).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knifeswitch">
<B>knife switch,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a type of electric switch consisting of one or more metal strips so arranged that they can be inserted between flat springs and thus close a circuit. </DL>
<A NAME="knight">
<B>knight, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>in the Middle Ages: <DD><B> a. </B>a man raised to an honorable military rank and pledged to do good deeds. After serving as a page and squire, a man was made a knight by the king or a lord. <DD><B> b. </B>a military servant of a lord, especially a mounted servant. <DD><B> 2. </B>(in modern times) a man raised to an honorable rank because of great achievement or service. A British knight ranks just below a baronet, and his rank and title are not hereditary. A man named John Smith becomes Sir John Smith, or Sir John, as a knight. (Abbr:) Kt. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) a man devoted to the service or protection of a lady. <BR> <I>Ex. In all your quarrels Will I be your knight. This I will do, dear damsel, for your sake (Tennyson).</I> (SYN) cavalier. <DD><B> 4. </B>a person in ancient history, mythology, or legend, considered to hold a position similar to that of the medieval knight, such as the equites, who were mainly financiers, and were next below senators. <DD><B> 5. </B>a member or holder of a rank or degree in any order or society that bears the official title of <I>Knights.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>a piece in the game of chess, usually having the figure of a horse's head. It moves two squares horizontally and one square vertically or one square horizontally and two squares vertically from the square it occupies, whether or not any of the intervening squares is occupied. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to raise to the rank of knight. <BR> <I>Ex. He was knighted by the queen. A soldier, by the honour-giving hand Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field (Shakespeare).</I> adj. <B>knightlike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="knightage">
<B>knightage, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the body of knights collectively. <DD><B> 2. </B>a list or register of knights. </DL>
<A NAME="knightbachelor">
<B>knight bachelor,</B> pl. <B>knights bachelors</B> or <B>knights bachelor.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a British knight of the lowest but most ancient order. <DD><B> 2. </B>a British subject who has been knighted but not made a member of any special order. </DL>
<A NAME="knighterrant">
<B>knight-errant, </B>noun, pl. <B>knights-errant.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (in the Middle Ages) a knight traveling in search of adventure, especially to exhibit military skill, bravery, and chivalry; a wandering knight. </DL>
<A NAME="knighterranttry">
<B>knight-erranttry, </B>noun, pl. <B>knight-errantries.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>conduct or action characteristic of a knight-errant. <DD><B> 2. </B>quixotic conduct or action. </DL>
<A NAME="knighthood">
<B>knighthood, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the rank or dignity of a knight. <BR> <I>Ex. I would not take a knighthood for my fortune (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the profession or occupation of a knight. <BR> <I>Ex. The champions, all of high degree, Who knighthood lov'd, and deeds of chivalry (John Dryden).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>the character or qualities of a knight; chivalrousness. <BR> <I>Ex. His knighthood shone as he helped the lady in distress.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>knights as a group or class; a company of knights. <BR> <I>Ex. All the knighthood of France came to the aid of the king.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knightliness">
<B>knightliness, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> knightly condition or qualities. </DL>
<A NAME="knightly">
<B>knightly, </B>adjective, adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of or like a knight; brave, generous, and courteous; chivalrous. <BR> <I>Ex. knightly courage.</I> (SYN) noble. <DD><B> 2. </B>belonging to or appropriate to a knight. <BR> <I>Ex. a knightly sword, knightly deeds.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>consisting or composed of knights. <BR> <I>Ex. a knightly company.</I> <DD><I>adv. </I> <B>1. </B>as a knight should do; in a manner befitting a knight; bravely, generously, and courteously. <BR> <I>Ex. His honor knightly shown.</I> (SYN) chivalrously, gallantly. <DD><B> 2. </B>like a knight. <BR> <I>Ex. Say ... why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms (Shakespeare).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="knightofthebath">
<B>Knight of the Bath,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a member of an order of knighthood in England founded by King George I in 1725. </DL>
<A NAME="knightshospitalers">
<B>Knights Hospitalers,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a powerful military order of monksof the period of the Crusades and afterward. </DL>
