Etymology : Middle English, from Old English cnEow; akin to Old High German kneo knee, Latin genu, Greek gony
Pronunciation : nE
Function : noun
Date : before 12th century
1. joint in the middle of the leg; covering for the knee joint; bend; brace, joint supporter (Construction). touch the knee; strike the knee; strengthen with a knee-shaped brace (Construction). knee\knee\ , n. [oe. kne, cneo, as. cne?, cne?w; akin to os. knio, kneo, ofries. knī, g. & d. knie, ohg. chniu, chneo, icel. kn , sw. kn?,dan. kn?, goth. kniu, l. genu, gr. , skr. jānu, cf. genuflection.].
2. in man, the joint in the middle part of the leg.
3. (anat.) (a) the joint, or region of the joint, between the thigh and leg. (b) in the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in man.
4. (mech. & shipbuilding) a piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
5. a bending of the knee, as in respect or courtesy. give them title, knee, and approbation.knee breeches. see:
under breeches.knee holly,knee holm (bot.), butcher's broom.knee jerk (physiol.) a jerk or kick produced by a blow or sudden strain upon the patellar tendon of the knee, which causes a sudden contraction of the quadriceps muscle; one of the so-called tendon reflexes.knee joint. see:
in the vocabulary.knee timber, timber with knees or angles in it.knee tribute, orknee worship, tribute paid by kneeling; worship by genuflection. [obs.] "knee tribute yet unpaid."knee \knee\ (nē), v. t. to supplicate by kneeling. [obs.] fall down, and knee the way into his mercy.
6. In man, the joint in the middle part of the leg.
7. The joint, or region of the joint, between the thigh and leg.
8. In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in man.
9. A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
10. A bending of the knee, as in respect or courtesy.
11. To supplicate by kneeling. cloth covering consisting of the part of a trouser leg that covers the knee hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella.
12. 1. Your knee is the place where your leg bends. He will receive physiotherapy on his damaged left knee. a knee injury.
13. If something or someone is on your knee or on your knees, they are resting or sitting on the upper part of your legs when you are sitting down. He sat with the package on his knees = lap.
14. If you are on your knees, your legs are bent and your knees are on the ground. She fell to the ground on her knees and prayed.
15. If you knee someone, you hit them using your knee. Ian kneed him in the groin.
16. If a country or organization is brought to its knees, it is almost completely destroyed by someone or something. The country was being brought to its knees by the loss of 2.4 million manufacturing jobs. to hit someone with your knee.