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knave
knave another term for the ‘jack’ in cards. The word originally (in Old English) meant ‘boy, servant’, and then generally someone of low social status; in Middle English, the sense of ‘dishonest or unscrupulous man’ developed. The playing-card sense is recorded from the middle of the 16th century.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "knave." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "knave." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-knave.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "knave." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-knave.html |
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knave
knave / nāv/ • n. archaic a dishonest or unscrupulous man. DERIVATIVES: knav·er·y / -vərē/ n. (pl. -er·ies) .knav·ish adj.knav·ish·ly adv.knav·ish·ness n.ORIGIN: Old English cnafa ‘boy, servant’; related to German Knabe ‘boy.’ |
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"knave." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "knave." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-knave.html "knave." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-knave.html |
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knave
knave †boy; †male servant OE.; base fellow XIII; lowest court card of a suit XVI. OE. cnafa = OHG. knabo (G. knabe boy) :- WGmc. *knaban-, rel. obscurely to synon. OE. cnapa = OS. cnapo, and OHG. knappo (G. knappe page, squire).
Hence knavery XVI, knavish XIV. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "knave." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "knave." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-knave.html T. F. HOAD. "knave." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-knave.html |
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knave
knave •behave, brave, Cave, clave, concave, crave, Dave, deprave, engrave, enslave, fave, forgave, gave, grave, knave, lave, Maeve, misbehave, misgave, nave, outbrave, pave, rave, save, shave, shortwave, slave, stave, they've, waive, wave
•enclave • exclave • conclave
•Redgrave • architrave • Wargrave
•Palgrave • palsgrave • aftershave
•brainwave • heatwave • microwave
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Cite this article
"knave." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "knave." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-knave.html "knave." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-knave.html |
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