knuckle

[ nuhk-uh l ]

/ ˈnʌk əl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR knuckle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a joint of a finger, especially one of the articulations of a metacarpal with a phalanx.

the rounded prominence of such a joint when the finger is bent.

a joint of meat, consisting of the parts about the carpal or tarsal joint of a quadruped.

an angle or protrusion at the intersection of two members or surfaces, as in the timbers of a ship or in a roof.

brass knuckles.

a cylindrical projecting part on a hinge, through which an axis or pin passes; the joint of a hinge.

(in a wire mesh) a bend in a wire crossing another wire.

(on a chair arm) one of the ridges left at the front end by longitudinal flutes carved to accommodate the fingers.

Nautical. a pronounced edge formed by a change in the form of the shell of a hull.

verb (used with object), knuck·led, knuck·ling.

to rub or press with the knuckles.

Marbles. to shoot (a marble) from the thumb and forefinger.

Verb Phrases

knuckle down,

to apply oneself vigorously and earnestly; become serious: Just knuckle down for an hour or so and finish the work.
Also knuckle under. to submit; yield.

Nearby words

Origin of knuckle

1325–75; Middle English knokel (akin to Dutch kneukel, German Knöchel), diminutive of a word represented by Dutch knok, German Knochen bone; see -le

Related formsknuck·ly, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for knuckle

As I rub my left hand, I notice a small bruise around the knuckle of my pinkie finger.
After War: Anger, Panic, and Sometimes Peace|Benjamin Tupper|June 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The painting, created between 1500 and 1525, features a wealthy woman in a bejeweled collar, also wearing a first knuckle ring.
First Knuckle Rings, Popular During the Renaissance, Return to Fashion|Misty White Sidell|January 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“Being new in town, it was really important to focus and knuckle down,” she said of her decision to focus on acting.
‘Game of Thrones’: Esmé Bianco Talks About Ros, Sexposition, Nudity, and More|Jace Lacob|May 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He is tough, a Scottish bruiser when it comes to a knuckle fight.
Florida on the Thames|Tina Brown|May 7, 2010|DAILY BEAST

Can we tighten our belts, knuckle down and use that knowledge that our forefathers and mothers gave us?
Meltdown on the Message Boards|The Daily Beast|October 10, 2008|DAILY BEAST
A knuckle bone or a cramp bone carried in the pocket prevents cramp.
Weather and Folk Lore of Peterborough and District|Charles Dack
Having washed a fore-quarter or knuckle of veal, and cracked the bones, put it on to boil with two quarts and a pint of water.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches|Eliza Leslie
I felt mortified that I had ever had a desire to "knuckle up" with any but kings' sons or sultans' little boys.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 90, April, 1865|Various
Boil a knuckle of veal to shreds, add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli, half a pint of cream, and lemon peel and mace.
The Young Housekeeper's Friend|Mrs. (Mary Hooker) Cornelius
Mr Fairman knocked with his knuckle before he entered, and a gruff voice desired him to "come in."
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXIX.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for knuckle

knuckle

/ (ˈnʌkəl) /

noun

a joint of a finger, esp that connecting a finger to the hand

a joint of veal, pork, etc, consisting of the part of the leg below the knee joint, often used in making stews or stock

the cylindrical portion of a hinge through which the pin passes

an angle joint between two members of a structure

near the knuckle informal approaching indecency

verb

(tr) to rub or press with the knuckles

(intr) to keep the knuckles on the ground while shooting a marble

Word Origin for knuckle

C14: related to Middle High German knöchel, Middle Low German knoke bone, Dutch knok

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for knuckle

knuckle

mid-14c., knokel "finger joint; any joint of the body, especially a knobby one; morbid lump or swelling;" common Germanic (cf. Middle Low German knökel, Middle Dutch cnockel, German knöchel), literally "little bone," a diminutive of Proto-Germanic root *knuck- "bone" (cf. German Knochen "bone).

As a verb from 1740, originally in the game of marbles. To knuckle down "apply oneself earnestly" is 1864 in American English, extended from marbles (putting a knuckle on the ground in assuming the hand position preliminary to shooting); to knuckle under "submit, give in" is first recorded 1740, supposedly from the former more general sense of "knuckle" and here meaning "knee," hence "to kneel." The face-busting knuckle-duster is from 1858 (a duster was a type of protective coat worn by workmen).

Medicine definitions for knuckle

knuckle

[ nŭk′əl ]

n.

The prominence of the dorsal aspect of a joint of a finger, especially of one of the joints that connect the fingers to the hand.

A rounded protuberance formed by the bones in a joint.

A kink or loop of intestine, as in a hernia.

Idioms and Phrases with knuckle

knuckle

In addition to the idioms beginning with knuckle

knuckle down
knuckle under

also see:

rap someone's knuckles

knuckle

noun

verb (used with object), knuck·led, knuck·ling.

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Origin of knuckle

Examples from the Web for knuckle

British Dictionary definitions for knuckle

knuckle

noun

verb

Word Origin for knuckle

Word Origin and History for knuckle

knuckle

Medicine definitions for knuckle

knuckle

n.

Idioms and Phrases with knuckle

knuckle