Link Centre Dictionary

knuckle

UK/ˈnʌkəl/ US/ˈnʌkʌl/ uncommon obsolete slang
noun (1) verb (2)

noun

1.

verb

1.

press or rub with the knuckles

2.

Origin

From Middle English knokel (“finger joint”), from Old English cnucel (“the juncture of two bones; knuckle; joint”), from Proto-West Germanic *knukil, from Proto-Germanic *knukilaz (“knuckle, knot, bump”), as *knukô (“bone, joint”) + *-ilaz (diminutive suffix). Cognate with Dutch knokkel (“knuckle”), Low German Knökel (“knuckle”), German Knöchel (“ankle, knuckle”), Old Norse knykill. More at knock.

Phrases

  • bare-knuckle → bare-knuckle boxing With this term at the end
  • brass knuckles With this term at the end
  • knuckle bow With this term at the beginning
  • knuckle children With this term at the beginning
  • knuckle dragger With this term at the beginning
  • knuckle duster With this term at the beginning
  • knuckle joint With this term at the beginning
  • knuckle sandwich With this term at the beginning

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.