Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 cnapa, 2–3 cnape, 3–6 (8 dial.) knape, 6 Sc. knaip, 7 (9 dial.) knap. [OE. cnapa = OFris. knapa, ODu. knapo (MDu. knape, Du. knaap), MLG. (hence MHG.) knape, ON. knapi (ODa. and OSw. knape):—OTeut. *knapon-. The ulterior etym. and relation to OE. cnafa, knave, are uncertain: see note to KNAVE.]

1

  † 1.  A male child, a boy (= KNAVE sb. 1); a lad, young man, youth, fellow. Obs.

2

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xxi. 19. Heo of þam sealde þam cnapan drincan.

3

c. 1200.  Ormin, 4106. To clippenn swa þe cnapess shapp.

4

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2573. Ðe knapes to deade giuen, And leten ðe mayden childre liuen.

5

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 7821. Ac right now a litel knape To Bedingham com with iape.

6

13[?].  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2136. Þaȝe he be a sturn knape.

7

  † 2.  A man-servant, male attendant, ‘man’: = KNAVE sb. 2. Obs.

8

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xxii. 19. Abraham þa ʓecyrde sona to hys cnapum.

9

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. viii. 6. Min cnapa lið on minum huse lama.

10

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 477. His knape wende it were a der.

11

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 321. This cherles knape Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde.

12

1508.  Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 125. I dar nought keik to the knaip that the cop fillis.

13

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, XII. ii. 87. The byssy knaipis and verlettis of his stabill.

14

  b.  dial. A thatcher’s requisite. (See quots.)

15

1764.  Burn, Poor Laws, 127. The thatchers to this day have an instrument that holds their straw, which they call a knape.

16

1895.  East Anglia Gloss., Knape or Knave, the frame which contains the straw which is carried up the ladder to the thatcher.

17

  3.  As term of contempt or reprobation (also jocularly): A rascal, rogue, knave: = KNAVE sb. 3. Obs. exc. dial.

18

a. 1450.  Lydg., Merita Missæ, 190. Prowde knapys, That make in holy chyrche Iapis.

19

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, IX. ix. 77. Turnus … Thus dyd hym chyde: O cative rakles knaip.

20

a. 1553.  Udall, Royster D., V. vi. (Arb.), 88. Good night Roger olde knaue, knaue, knap.

21

1855.  Robinson, Whitby Gloss., A Knap, a person not strictly honest…. ‘A regular knap.’

22

  4.  attrib., as † knape child (= KNAVE-CHILD).

23

c. 1200.  Ormin, 7903. Forr cnapechild is afledd wel Affterr weppmanne kind.

24

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2585. Euerilc knape child of ðat kin, ben a-non don ðe flod wið-in.

25