gnarled

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gnarled XVII. Once in Sh. (‘Measure for Measure’ II ii 116), and taken up thence by early-XIX writers; var. of *knarled, *knurled, f. knarl, knurl, extensions of knar (XIII) rugged rock, knot in wood, knur, knor (XV) hard excrescence, corr. to MLG., MDu., MHG. knorre (Du. knor, G. knorren) knobby protuberance.

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