Knave

Knave
   A popular vocative in the seventeenth century, but one which went out of fashion soon afterwards.
   The word had long been in use, at first meaning a boy, then a young male servant, and finally a rogue. Shakespeare used ‘knave’ vocatively in the latter two senses. In King Lear, for example, the king asks ‘where’s my knave, my fool?’ and then addresses him as ‘my friendly knave’, ‘my pretty knave’. In the same play Cornwall addresses the earl of Kent as ‘you stubborn ancient knave, you reverend braggart’. ‘Knave’ would only be used in modern times as a conscious archaism.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Knave — (n[=a]v), n. [OE., boy, servant, knave, AS. cnafa boy, youth; cf. AS. cnapa boy, youth, D. knaap, G. knabe boy, knappe esquire, Icel. knapi, Sw. knape esquire, kn[ a]fvel knave.] 1. A boy; especially, a boy servant. [Obs.] Wyclif. Chaucer. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Knave — may refer to:* Knave , a popular internet webcomic and card game * Knave (magazine), a British adult magazine *A male servant *A journeyman *Another name for the Jack in a deck of cards *An unprincipled, crafty person *Knave of Hearts (Alice s… …   Wikipedia

  • KNAVE — in Charta Anni 22. Henr. VII. Regis Angl. apud Henr. Spelmann. Ioh. fil. Vilhelmi Conper de Denby Knave, ad satifaciendum Regi etc. forte Armiger est. s. scuti famulus; samulum enim vox Saxonibus sonat. Vide Ian. Dolmer. ad Ius Aul. antiquum… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • knave — [neıv] n [: Old English; Origin: cnafa boy, male servant ] 1.) BrE the playing card with a value between the ten and queen = ↑jack ▪ the knave of hearts →↑card1 (7) 2.) old fashioned a dishonest boy or man …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Knave — [neiv] der; s, s <aus gleichbed. engl. knave, dies aus altengl. cnafa »Knabe« (ahd. knabo)> engl. Bez. für Bube, Schelm; Bube im Kartenspiel …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • knave — index criminal, hoodlum Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • knave — [ neıv ] noun count 1. ) an old word meaning a dishonest man 2. ) a JACK in card games ╾ knav|ish adjective: a knavish trick …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • knave — (n.) O.E. cnafa boy, male servant, common Germanic (Cf. O.H.G. knabo boy, youth, servant, Ger. knabe boy, lad, also probably related to O.E. cnapa boy, youth, servant, O.N. knapi servant boy, Du. knaap a youth, servant, M.H.G. knappe a young… …   Etymology dictionary

  • knave — *villain, scoundrel, blackguard, rascal, rogue, scamp, rapscallion, miscreant …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • knave — ► NOUN 1) archaic a dishonest or unscrupulous man. 2) (in cards) a jack. DERIVATIVES knavery noun knavish adjective. ORIGIN Old English, «boy, servant» …   English terms dictionary

  • knave — [nāv] n. [ME knaue < OE cnafa, boy, male child, akin to Ger knabe] 1. Archaic a) a serving boy or male servant b) a man of humble birth or status 2. a dishonest, deceitful person; tricky rascal; rogue 3. JACK (n …   English World dictionary

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