KNEE


Meaning of KNEE in English

I. ˈnē noun

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cnēow; akin to Old High German kneo knee, Latin genu, Greek gony

Date: before 12th century

1.

a. : a joint in the middle part of the human leg that is the articulation between the femur, tibia, and patella ; also : the part of the leg that includes this joint

b.

(1) : the joint in the hind leg of a four-footed vertebrate that corresponds to the human knee

(2) : the carpal joint of the foreleg of a four-footed vertebrate

c. : the tarsal joint of a bird

d. : the joint between the femur and tibia of an insect

2. : something resembling the human knee: as

a. : a piece of timber naturally or artificially bent for use in supporting structures coming together at an angle (as the deck beams of a ship)

b. : a rounded or conical process rising from the roots of various swamp-growing trees

cypress knee

3. : the part of a garment covering the knee

4. : a blow with the bent knee

• kneed ˈnēd adjective

- to one's knees

II. transitive verb

( kneed ; knee·ing )

Date: before 12th century

1. archaic : to bend the knee to

2. : to strike with the knee

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.