knee
Americannoun
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knees
plural
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Anatomy. the joint of the leg that allows for movement between the femur and tibia and is protected by the patella; the central area of the leg between the thigh and the lower leg.
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Zoology. the corresponding joint or region in the hind leg of a quadruped; stifle.
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a joint or region likened to this but not anatomically homologous with it, as the tarsal joint of a bird, the carpal joint in the forelimb of the horse or cow, etc.
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the part of a garment covering the knee.
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something resembling a bent knee, especially a rigid or braced angle between two framing members.
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Also called hip, shoulder. Furniture. the inward curve toward the top of a cabriole leg.
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Building Trades.
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the junction of the top and either of the uprights of a bent.
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a curved member for reinforcing the junction of two pieces meeting at an angle.
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Also called kneeler. a stone cut to follow a sharp return angle.
verb (used with object)
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knees,
present (3rd person singular)
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kneed,
past participle, past
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kneeing
present participle
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to strike or touch with the knee.
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to secure (a structure, as a bent) with a knee.
verb (used without object)
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knees,
present (3rd person singular)
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kneed,
past participle, past
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kneeing
present participle
idioms
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take a knee, to kneel on one knee, usually with the opposite leg also bent at a 90-degree angle and placed forward with the foot on the ground, as in sports or as a posture in protests and demonstrations: Organizers are coordinating so the crowds at every state capitol will take a knee in protest of racial injustice simultaneously, across time zones.
Our soccer team would take a knee if a player on either team was injured.
Organizers are coordinating so the crowds at every state capitol will take a knee in protest of racial injustice simultaneously, across time zones.
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bring someone to his / her knees, to force someone into submission or compliance.
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on one's / its knees,
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in a supplicatory position or manner.
I came to him on my knees for the money.
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in a desperate or declining condition.
The country's economy is on its knees.
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cut (someone) off at the knees, to squelch or humiliate (a person) suddenly and thoroughly.
The speaker cut the heckler off at the knees.
noun
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Technical name: genu. the joint of the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
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the area surrounding and above this joint
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(modifier) reaching or covering the knee
knee breeches
knee socks
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a corresponding or similar part in other vertebrates
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the part of a garment that covers the knee
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the upper surface of a seated person's thigh
the child sat on her mother's knee
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anything resembling a knee in action, such as a device pivoted to allow one member angular movement in relation to another
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anything resembling a knee in shape, such as an angular bend in a pipe
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any of the hollow rounded protuberances that project upwards from the roots of the swamp cypress: thought to aid respiration in waterlogged soil
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to kneel or submit
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to force someone into submission
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to cause something to be in a weakened or impoverished state
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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kneesimple
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kneessimple
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have kneedperfect
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has kneedperfect
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am kneeingprogressive
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are kneeingprogressive
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is kneeingprogressive
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have been kneeingperfect progressive
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has been kneeingperfect progressive
Past
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kneedsimple
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had kneedperfect
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was kneeingprogressive
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were kneeingprogressive
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had been kneeingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of knee
First recorded before 900; Middle English kne, cne, knei, cneo, Old English cnēo(w); cognate with German Knie, Dutch knie, Old Norse knē, Gothic kniu, Latin genu, Greek góny, Sanskrit jānu, Hittite genu, all meaning “knee”
Explanation
Your knee is the joint in your leg that joins your thigh with your shin, making it possible for you to bend your leg. Without knees, you'd walk like a Barbie doll on very stiff legs. The knee connects your tibia, or shinbone, to your femur, or thighbone. Although their bodies are arranged in different ways, there are other animals with knees, including horses, donkeys, giraffes, and deer. You can also use the word knee to mean the part of your pants that covers your actual knee: "I always get a hole in the knee of my jeans." A "knee-slapper" is a joke so funny it makes you laugh out loud.
Vocabulary lists containing knee
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Josh Rourke is once again named in their provisional squad as he continues his return from a knee injury sustained in August.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Bowers, after missing the first two weeks with a knee injury, hauled in one of those scores in a 116-yard performance last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
And while GM Brandon Gomes publicly blamed the “ebbs and flows” of a season and not knee inflammation or biceps tightness, Ohtani waved wildly at pitches and piled up 22 strikeouts in 14 games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
Patrick Mahomes has been remarkable on his rebuilt knee, and the Chiefs should win this one pretty easily.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
Ben got down onto one knee and put his hand on my shoulder.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
A humanoid’s knees rely on linear actuators, which are made up of similar components but translate rotation into a linear movement: pulling, lifting and so on.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
People sitting on the pavement hugged their knees, dropping their heads as they listened to the pope's voice echo across the Champs Elysees.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
He dropped to his knees, then sprang up, punched his fist into the air and shouted: "We have done it."
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
BRQ: My uniform was fishnets with Ugg boots that went up to my knees, shorts and two layered tank tops or a collared shirt with a tank top underneath and the collar open.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
He was sitting on the very edge of his camping chair now, his knees pressed against hers.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Redick said Doncic was injured when he was kneed by Clippers guard Bagdan Bogdanovic during Saturday night’s loss at Intuit Dome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
The third victory came after center Dereck Lively II left in the second quarter with a neck injury when Towns accidentally kneed the rookie in the back of the head.
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024
She said she kneed him after an encounter that lasted several minutes and fled the store.
From Washington Times ● May 8, 2023
The sophomore said she was kneed in the stomach, but she returned to the field about 10 minutes later.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2022
I was so anxious to get past them I accidentally kneed Kelli in the thigh.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
They’ll likely recall winger Arthur Kaliyev from the AHL so he can begin serving the last two games of his four-game suspension for a training camp kneeing infraction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2023
The quick start was tempered 86 seconds later when a kneeing penalty by Colorado’s Kurtis MacDermid sent Marcus Foligno to the locker room.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2022
Orlov was back after serving a two-game suspension for kneeing Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers, who is on long-term injured reserve.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 24, 2022
Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov has been suspended two games for kneeing Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 19, 2022
Neel kept kneeing and elbowing his way forward, steadying the flashlight as he pushed away branches and roots.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
