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Webster 1913 Edition


Knee

Knee

(nē)
,
Noun.
[OE.
kne
,
cneo
, As.
cneó
,
cneów
; akin to OS.
knio
,
kneo
, OFries.
knī
, G. & D.
knie
, OHG.
chniu
,
chneo
, Icel.
knē
, Sw.
knä
, Dan.
knæ
, Goth.
kniu
, L.
genu
, Gr.
γόνυ
, Skr.
jānu
, √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.
Shakespeare
Knee breeches
.
See under
Breeches
.
Knee holly
,
Knee holm
(Bot.)
,
butcher’s broom.
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.

Knee

(nē)
,
Verb.
T.
To supplicate by kneeling.
[Obs.]
Fall down, and
knee

The way into his mercy.
Shak

Webster 1828 Edition


Knee

KNEE

,
Noun.
nee.
[L. genu.]
1.
In anatomy, the articulation of the thigh and leg bones.
2.
In ship-building, a piece of timber somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent, having two branches or arms, and used to connect the beams of a ship with her sides or timbers.

KNEE

,
Verb.
T.
nee.
To supplicate by kneeling. [Not used.]

Definition 2024


Knee

Knee

See also: knee

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

  • Knie (southern Moselle Franconian)

Noun

Knee n (plural Knee or Kneen)

  1. (Ripuarian, northern Moselle Franconian) knee

knee

knee

See also: Knee

English

Noun

knee (plural knees or (obsolete or dialectal) kneen)

  1. In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.
    Penny was wearing a miniskirt, so she skinned her exposed knees when she fell.
  2. In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in humans.
  3. The part of a garment that covers the knee.
  4. (shipbuilding) A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
    • 1980, Richard W. Unger, The Ship in the Medieval Economy 600-1600, page 41
      Deck beams were supported by hanging knees, triangular pieces of wood typically found underneath the timbers they are designed to support, but in this case found above them.
  5. (archaic) An act of kneeling, especially to show respect or courtesy.
    To make a knee.
  6. Any knee-shaped item or sharp angle in a line, "the knee of a graph", an inflection point.
  7. A blow made with the knee; a kneeing.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

knee (third-person singular simple present knees, present participle kneeing, simple past and past participle kneed)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To kneel to.
    • 1605: I could as well be brought / To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg / To keep base life afoot. — William Shakespeare, King Lear II.ii
  2. (transitive) To poke or strike with the knee.

Anagrams