Knuckle
Knuckle , noun
[Old English knokel, knokil, Anglo-Saxon cuncel; akin to Dutch knokkel, OFries. knokele, knokle, German knochel, Swedish knoge, Danish knokkel, German knochen bone, and perh. to English knock.]
1.
The joint of a finger, particularly when made prominent by the closing of the fingers. — Davenant
2.
The kneejoint, or middle joint, of either leg of a quadruped, especially of a calf; -- formerly used of the kneejoint of a human being.
With weary knuckles on thy brim she kneeled sadly down.
3.
The joint of a plant. [Obsolete] — Bacon
4.
(Mechanics) The joining parts of a hinge through which the pin or rivet passes; a knuckle joint.
5.
(Shipbuilding) A convex portion of a vessel's figure where a sudden change of shape occurs, as in a canal boat, where a nearly vertical side joins a nearly flat bottom.
6.
A contrivance, usually of brass or iron, and furnished with points, worn to protect the hand, to add force to a blow, and to disfigure the person struck; -- called also knuckle duster, knuckles or brass knuckles. [Slang.]
Collocations (2)
Knuckle joint (Machinery) , a hinge joint, in which a projection with an eye, on one piece, enters a jaw between two corresponding projections with eyes, on another piece, and is retained by a pin which passes through the eyes and forms the pivot.
Knuckle of veal (Cookery) , the lower part of a leg of veal, from the line of the body to the knuckle.
Knuckle , intransitive verb
To yield; to submit; -- used with down, to, or under.
Collocations (1)
To knuckle to , (a) To submit to in a contest; to yield to. [Colloquial] (b) To apply one's self vigorously or earnestly to; as, to knuckle to work. [Colloquial]
Knuckle , transitive verb
To beat with the knuckles; to pummel. [Rare] — Horace Smith