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knuckle

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knuck⋅le

  [nuhk-uhl] noun, verb, -led, -ling.
Use knuckle in a Sentence
–noun
1. a joint of a finger, esp. one of the articulations of a metacarpal with a phalanx.
2. the rounded prominence of such a joint when the finger is bent.
3. a joint of meat, consisting of the parts about the carpal or tarsal joint of a quadruped.
4. an angle or protrusion at the intersection of two members or surfaces, as in the timbers of a ship or in a roof.
5. brass knuckles.
6. a cylindrical projecting part on a hinge, through which an axis or pin passes; the joint of a hinge.
7. (in a wire mesh) a bend in a wire crossing another wire.
8. (on a chair arm) one of the ridges left at the front end by longitudinal flutes carved to accommodate the fingers.
9. Nautical. a pronounced edge formed by a change in the form of the shell of a hull.
–verb (used with object)
10. to rub or press with the knuckles.
11. Marbles. to shoot (a marble) from the thumb and forefinger.
—Verb phrase
12. knuckle down,
a. to apply oneself vigorously and earnestly; become serious: Just knuckle down for an hour or so and finish the work.
b. Also, knuckle under. to submit; yield.
Origin:
1325–75; ME knokel (akin to D kneukel, G Knöchel), dim. of a word represented by D knok, G Knochen bone; see -le

Related forms:
knuckly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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knuck·le   (nŭk'əl)   
n.  

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

    2. A rounded protuberance formed by the bones in a joint.

  2. A cut of meat centering on the carpal or tarsal joint, as of a pig.

  3. The part of a hinge through which the pin passes.

  4. A sharp angle formed by the meeting of two surfaces, especially two ship's timbers.

  5. knuckles Brass knuckles.

tr.v.   knuck·led, knuck·ling, knuck·les

  1. To press, rub, or hit with the knuckles.

  2. To shoot (a marble) with the thumb over the bent forefinger.

Phrasal Verb(s):
knuckle downTo apply oneself earnestly to a task.
knuckle underTo yield to pressure; give in.

[Middle English knokel.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

knuckle 
c.1375, knokel "finger joint," common Gmc. (cf. M.L.G. knökel, M.Du. cnockel, Ger. knöchel), lit. "little bone," a dim. of P.Gmc. root *knuck- "bone" (cf. Ger. Knochen "bone). To knuckle down "apply oneself earnestly" is 1864 in Amer.Eng., extended from game of marbles; to knuckle under is first recorded 1740. Knuckle-duster is from 1858; knucklehead "stupid person" first recorded 1944. Knuckleball, type of baseball pitch, is from 1927.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: knuck·le
Pronunciation: 'n&k-&l
Function: noun
1 a : the rounded prominence formed by the ends of the two adjacent bonesat a joint —used especially of those at the joints of the fingers b : the joint of a knuckle
2 : a sharply flexed loop of intestines incarcerated in a hernia
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

knuckle knuck·le (nŭk'əl)
n.

  1. 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.

  2. A rounded protuberance formed by the bones in a joint.

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

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

knuckle

In addition to the idioms beginning with knuckle, also see rap someone's knuckles.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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