I. ˈnīt, usu -īd.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, boy, youth, knight, from Old English cniht, cneoht boy, youth, military follower; akin to Old Saxon & Old High German kneht boy, youth, military follower, Old English cnotta knot — more at knot
1.
a.
(1) : a mounted man-at-arms of the European feudal period serving a king or other superior usually in return for a tenure of land ; especially : a man ceremonially inducted by a feudal superior into special military rank commonly immediately below that of baron usually available only after completing regular periods of service as page and squire — compare dub vt 1a
(2) : a man upon whom a corresponding dignity has been conferred by a sovereign in recognition of personal merit
(3) : a member of an order of knighthood or of chivalry
a Knight of the Garter
(4) : a member of a social or fraternal order
Knights of Labor
also : a member of such an order holding a particular degree or rank that is officially so designated
members, acolytes, and knights of the Inner Tabernacle
b.
(1) : a person of ancient history or mythology of a rank equivalent to that of knight — often used to translate Latin miles
(2) : eques
c. : knight of the shire
d. : a man who devotes himself to a lady as her attendant or champion
e. : a man associated in his personal or professional character with something specified (as an implement, tool, place, material) — often used in trade or craft nicknames
those petty rascals often called knights of the bridewell
a knight of the quill earning a pittance by his writings
2.
a. : a chess piece that may cross occupied squares and that has an L-shaped move of three squares of which two are in a horizontal or vertical row and one is perpendicular to the row
b. : a face card ranking between the queen and the jack in many European packs of playing cards
3. : a small bitt with sheaves through which the running rigging of a ship is passed
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English knighten, from knight, n.
: to make a knight of : induct into the state or an order of knighthood : dub