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knee definition

knee (nē)

noun

    1. the joint between the thigh and the lower part of the human leg
    2. the front part of the leg at this joint
  2. a joint regarded as corresponding or similar to the human knee, as a joint in the leg of a quadruped or bird
  3. anything resembling or suggesting a knee, esp. a bent knee; specif.,
    1. a bent piece of wood used as a brace
    2. a protuberant, woody growth on certain trees
  4. the part of a stocking, trouser leg, etc. that covers the knee

Etymology: ME kne < OE cneow, akin to Ger knie < IE base *ĝeneu- > Sans jnu, Gr gony, gonia, L genu, a knee

transitive verb kneed, kneeing knee′·ing

  1. to hit or touch with the knee
  2. Carpentry to fasten with a knee (sense ) or knees
knee Idioms

bring to one's knees

to force to submit or give in

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms knee idiom

medical knee definition - medical

knee Synonyms

knee

n.

joint, knee joint, kneecap, patella, crook, bend, hinge, ginglymus joint, articulation of the femur and the tibia; see also bone.

bring to one's knees

beat, force to submit, coerce; see defeat 1, 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

knee Usage Examples

Possessives

  • housemaid: Commonest site for bursitis is just below the knee-cap, the famous condition called ' housemaid's knee ' .

Converse of object

  • bend: Pain occurs if bending the knee is resisted, or if the patient attempts to stretch the muscle.

Adjective modifier

  • bended: There on bended knee, with my heart banging in my chest, I asked Mo ' to marry me.

Modifies a noun

  • jerk: This was not a knee jerk reaction from Nehemiah.

Noun used with modifier

  • bee: The fresh cream puff pastry Sandwich was the " bees knees " .
knee usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

knee quotes

'O I forbid you, maidens a', That wear gowd on your hair, To come or gae by Carterhaugh, For youngTam Lin is there. 'There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh, But they leave him a wad. Either their rings or green mantles, Or else their maidenhead.' Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has braided her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she's awa'to Carterhaugh As fast as she can hie.

-Ballads

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being intheformof God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

-Bible (NewTestament)

My common conversation I do acknowledge austere, my behaviour full of rigor, sometimes not without morosity; yet at mydevotion I loveto usethe civility of my knee, my hat, and hand, withall thoseoutward and sensiblemotions which may express or promote my invisible devotion.

-Browne, SirThomas

knee quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"knee." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/knee>

APA Style

knee. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/knee

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