KNAVE • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Knave

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/neɪv/ Listen

noun

Knave n.

A boy; especially, a boy servant. (Obs.) "O murderous slumber, Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night."

Any male servant; a menial. (Obs.) "He's but Fortune's knave, A minister of her will."

A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person; a rogue; a villain. "A pair of crafty knaves." "In defiance of demonstration, knaves will continue to proselyte fools." Note: "How many serving lads must have been unfaithful and dishonest before knave which meant at first no more than boy acquired the meaning which it has now!"

A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack; as, the knave of hearts.

Knave child, a male child. (Obs.)

Synonyms: Villain; cheat; rascal; rogue; scoundrel; miscreant.

See images of 'Knave'

Etymology of 'Knave'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Knave" Quotes from Famous Books

... turn goldsmiths?" said Schwartz to Hans, as they entered the large city. "It is a good knave's trade; we can put a great deal of copper into the gold, without any one's ...

— Stories of Childhood • Various

... them, and embellishing the capital, which they certainly could not have ventured to do under the late Rajas of Tehri, and may not possibly be able to do under the future Rajas of Datiya. The present minister of Datiya, Ganesh, is a very great knave, and encourages the residence upon his master's estate of all kinds of thieves and robbers, who bring back from distant districts every season vast quantities of booty, which they share with him. The chief himself is a mild old gentleman, ...

— Rambles and Recollections of an Indian Official • William Sleeman

... along suspected that the man was a knave, and this profession of love at once confirmed her in that belief. She therefore immediately turned away ...

— Clotelle - The Colored Heroine • William Wells Brown

... fools first, and then knaves, knaves because they have been fools," I returned to my uncle, "and I fancy Laplante has graduated from the fool stage by this time, and is a full diploma knave!" ...

— Lords of the North • A. C. Laut

... Last year he passed, with much discredit, through the Bankruptcy Court. He has been a Director of countless Companies, for the stock of fools seems to be inexhaustible. There can only be one end for such a man as SHEEF. The cool, callous, and calculating knave may get clear through to the end; but SHEEF always was stupidly good-natured, and good-nature hangs like a millstone round the neck of rascality. I cannot myself detest him as I ought to do. He was so near to completely successful respectability. But crookedness ...

— Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 102, February 6, 1892 • Various

More quotes...