Knuckle Meaning
/ˈnʌkəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAny of the joints between the bones of the fingers.
nounA mechanical joint.
Sentence Examples
You'd better knuckle down to work.
As incredible as it may seem, she ordered a knuckle of ham with sauerkraut.
It is easy to knuckle down if you have enough motivation.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He scraped his ____ on the rough stone wall while climbing up.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He hurt his ____ when he accidentally hit his hand against the hard edge of the wooden table today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English knokel (“finger joint”), from Old English cnucel (“the juncture of two bones; knuckle; joint”), from Proto-West Germanic *knukil, from Proto-Germanic *knukilaz (“knuckle, knot, bump”), as *knukô (“bone, joint”) + *-ilaz (diminutive suffix). Cognate with Dutch knokkel (“knuckle”), Low German Knökel (“knuckle”), German Knöchel (“ankle, knuckle”), Old Norse knykill. More at knock.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"With wearie knockles on thy brim she kneeled sadly downe"
— 1567, Ovid, “(please specify the book number or chapter)”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, Entytuled Metamorphosis, […], London: […] Willyam Seres […], →OCLC:
"In the West Indies there are found, even in sandy deserts and very dry places, large canes, which at every joint or knuckle yield a good supply of fresh water"
— 1623, Francis Bacon, The History of Dense and Rare:
"I could feel my big toe snap, but as he's gone down on his good knee and half swung round I knuckled him in the kidney as hard as I could hit. He's gone all the way down, so I dropped my 19 stone into the middle of his back."
— 2013, Lenny McLean, The Guv'nor:
"Only then I knuckled him. He had to be taught a hard lesson."
— 2014, W. Smyth, Mama OM, page 415:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He scraped his ____ on the rough stone wall while climbing up.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He hurt his ____ when he accidentally hit his hand against the hard edge of the wooden table today.