Adjacent Words

Knee definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

KNEE, n. 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, v.t. nee. To supplicate by kneeling. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella [syn: knee, knee joint, human knee, articulatio genus, genu]
2: joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee [syn: stifle, knee]
3: the part of a trouser leg that provides the cloth covering for the knee

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cn?ow; akin to Old High German kneo knee, Latin genu, Greek gony Date: before 12th century 1. a. a joint in the middle part of the human leg that is the articulation between the femur, tibia, and patella; also the part of the leg that includes this joint b. (1) the joint in the hind leg of a four-footed vertebrate that corresponds to the human knee (2) the carpal joint of the foreleg of a four-footed vertebrate c. the tarsal joint of a bird d. the joint between the femur and tibia of an insect 2. something resembling the human knee: as a. a piece of timber naturally or artificially bent for use in supporting structures coming together at an angle (as the deck beams of a ship) b. a rounded or conical process rising from the roots of various swamp-growing trees <cypress knee> 3. the part of a garment covering the knee 4. a blow with the bent knee • kneed adjective II. transitive verb (kneed; kneeing) Date: before 12th century 1. archaic to bend the knee to 2. to strike with the knee

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a (often attrib.) the joint between the thigh and the lower leg in humans. b the corresponding joint in other animals. c the area around this. d the upper surface of the thigh of a sitting person; the lap (held her on his knee). 2 the part of a garment covering the knee. 3 anything resembling a knee in shape or position, esp. a piece of wood or iron bent at an angle, a sharp turn in a graph, etc. --v.tr. (knees, kneed, kneeing) 1 touch or strike with the knee (kneed the ball past him; kneed him in the groin). 2 colloq. cause (trousers) to bulge at the knee. Phrases and idioms: bend (or bow) the knee kneel, esp. in submission. bring a person to his or her knees reduce a person to submission. knee-bend the action of bending the knee, esp. as a physical exercise in which the body is raised and lowered without the use of the hands. knee-breeches close-fitting trousers reaching to or just below the knee. knee-deep 1 (usu. foll. by in) a immersed up to the knees. b deeply involved. 2 so deep as to reach the knees. knee-high so high as to reach the knees. knee-hole a space for the knees, esp. under a desk. knee-jerk 1 a sudden involuntary kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee. 2 (attrib.) predictable, automatic, stereotyped. knee-joint 1 = senses 1a, b of n. 2 a joint made of two pieces hinged together. knee-length reaching the knees. knee-pan the kneecap. knees-up Brit. colloq. a lively party or gathering. on (or on one's) bended knee (or knees) kneeling, esp. in supplication, submission, or worship. Etymology: OE cneo(w)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Knee Knee, n. [OE. kne, cneo, As. cne['o], cne['o]w; akin to OS. knio, kneo, OFries. kn[=i], G. & D. knie, OHG. chniu, chneo, Icel. kn?, Sw. kn["a],Dan. kn[ae], Goth. kniu, L. genu, Gr. ?, Skr. j[=a]nu, ? 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Knee Knee (n[=e]), v. t. To supplicate by kneeling. [Obs.] Fall down, and knee The way into his mercy. --Shak

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(knees, kneeing, kneed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. Your knee is the place where your leg bends. He will receive physiotherapy on his damaged left knee. ...a knee injury. N-COUNT: oft poss N 2. If something or someone is on your knee or on your knees, they are resting or sitting on the upper part of your legs when you are sitting down. He sat with the package on his knees... = lap N-COUNT: poss N, oft on N 3. If you are on your knees, your legs are bent and your knees are on the ground. She fell to the ground on her knees and prayed... N-PLURAL: poss N, usu on/to N 4. If you knee someone, you hit them using your knee. Ian kneed him in the groin. VERB: V n 5. If a country or organization is brought to its knees, it is almost completely destroyed by someone or something. The country was being brought to its knees by the loss of 2.4 million manufacturing jobs... PHRASE: V inflects

Moby Thesaurus

L, angle, ankle, apex, articulation, bayonet legs, bend, bifurcation, bight, boot, boundary, bowlegs, butt, calf, cant, cervix, chevron, clinch, closure, cnemis, coin, connecting link, connecting rod, connection, corner, coupling, crank, crook, crotchet, deflection, dogleg, dovetail, drumstick, elbow, ell, embrace, foreleg, fork, furcation, gamb, gambrel, gigot, gliding joint, ham, hind leg, hinge, hinged joint, hip, hock, hook, inflection, interface, jamb, join, joining, joint, juncture, kick, knuckle, leg, limb, link, miter, mortise, neck, nook, pivot, pivot joint, podite, point, popliteal space, punt, quoin, rabbet, scarf, scissor-legs, seam, shank, shin, shoulder, stems, stitch, stumps, suture, swerve, symphysis, tarsus, tie rod, toggle, toggle joint, trotters, union, veer, vertex, weld, wrist, zag, zig, zigzag