Forms: α. 1–3 cniht, (1 cnæht, cneoht, 3 Orm. cnihht), 4 cniȝt, (3 cnih, 5 cnect); 1–5 knyht, (2 knicht, 3 kniȝt, knict), 3–4 kniht, 3–5 kniȝt, knyȝt, (5 knyȝht), 4–6 knyght, (5–6 knygt, Sc. knicht, knycht), 4– knight. (β. 3 cniþt, knicth, 4 knitht, knytht, knigth, kniȝth, 5 knygth; 3–4 knith, 4–5 (6 Sc.) knyth. γ. 3 knit, 4 knite, 4–5 knyte, 6 knytt.) [A common WGer. word: OE. cniht, cneoht = OFris. knecht, kniucht, OS. (in)knecht (MDu. and Da. knecht), OHG., MHG. kneht (G. knecht). In the continental tongues the prevailing senses are ‘lad, servant, soldier.’ The genitive pl. in ME. was occas. knighten(e.]
I. † 1. A boy, youth, lad. (Only in OE.) Obs.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. vii. § 2. Philippus, þa he cniht wæs, wæs Thebanum to ʓisle ʓeseald.
c. 925. Laws of Ine, c. 7 § 2. Tyn-wintre cniht mæʓ bion þiefðe ʓewita.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John vi. 9. Is cnæht an her.
971. Blickl. Hom., 175. He wearþ færinga ʓeong cniht & sona eft eald man.
† 2. A boy or lad employed as an attendant or servant; hence, by extension, a male servant or attendant of any age. Obs.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke xii. 45. Onginneð … slaa ða cnæhtas & ðiuwas.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., xxvi. 180. Cnihtas wurdon, ealde ʓe ʓiunge, ealle forhwerfde to sumum diore.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. ix. 15. Þæs brydguman cnihtas.
c. 1205. Lay., 3346. Heo sende … to þare cnihtene inne, heo hehte hem faren hire wei. Ibid., 29636. Þus spac ure drihten wið Austin his cnihten.
c. 1250. Hymn Virgin, 16, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 255. Swete leuedi, of me þu reowe & haue merci of þin knicht [cf. 22 ic am þi mon].
3. With genitive, or poss. pron.: A military servant or follower (of a king or some other specified superior); later, one devoted to the service of a lady as her attendant, or her champion in war or the tournament; hence also fig., and even applied to a woman (quot. 1599).
This is logically the direct predecessor of sense 4, the ‘king’s knight’ having become the ‘knight’ par excellence, and a lady’s knight being usually one of knightly rank.
a. 1100. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1087. Þa wæron innan þam castele Oda bisceopes cnihtas. Ibid., an. 1094. Rogger Peiteuin … & seofen hundred þes cynges cnihta mid him.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 1179. That she wolde holde me for hir knyght, My lady that is so faire.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 328. I my self wille wyth you abyde, And be youre servante and youre knight.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 14. Syne thus he said, in presence of his men, ‘My knichtis kene [etc.].’
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 142. O find him, giue this Ring to my true Knight. Ibid. (1599), Much Ado, V. iii. 13. Pardon goddesse of the night, Those that slew thy virgin knight.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 129. So Ladies in Romance assist their Knight, Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
1859. Tennyson, Elaine, 958. In all your quarrels will I be your knight.
4. Name of an order or rank. a. In the Middle Ages: Originally (as in 3), A military servant of the king or other person of rank; a feudal tenant holding land from a superior on condition of serving in the field as a mounted and well-armed man. In the fully developed feudal system: One raised to honorable military rank by the king or other qualified person, the distinction being usually conferred only upon one of noble birth who had served a regular apprenticeship (as page and squire) to the profession of arms, and thus being a regular step in this even for those of the highest rank. b. In modern times (from the 16th c.): One upon whom a certain rank, regarded as corresponding to that of the mediæval knight, is conferred by the sovereign in recognition of personal merit, or as a reward for services rendered to the crown or country.
The distinctive title of a knight (mediæval or modern) is Sir prefixed to the name, as ‘Sir John Falstaff’: Knight (also abbrev. Knt. or Kt.) may be added, but this is now somewhat unusual. A knight who is not a member of any special order of knighthood (see 12 b below) is properly a Knight Bachelor (see BACHELOR 1 b). Various ceremonies have at different times been used in conferring the honour of knighthood, esp. that of the recipient kneeling while the sovereign touches his shoulder with the flat of a sword; knights of the higher orders are now frequently created by letters-patent. In point of rank the mediæval knight was inferior to earl and baron; modern knights rank below baronets, and the dignity is not hereditary.
In early use the knight, as the type of the military profession, was freq. contrasted with clerk, merchant, etc., and, in point of rank, with king. The characteristic qualities expected in a knight, as bravery, courtesy, and chivalrous conduct, are frequently alluded to, and the name (esp. with adjs., as a good knight) often implied these qualities as well as the mere rank.
a. 1100. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1086. Þænne wæron mid him ealle þa rice men … abbodas & eorlas, þeʓnas & cnihtas. Ibid. (a. 1124). Þes kinges stiward of France … & fela oðre godre cnihte.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1573. Moni chapmon, and moni cniht, Luveth and halt his wif ariht.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 11608. Þo turnde grimbaud pauncefot to sir edward anon & was imad kniȝt.
c. 1315. A. Davy, Dreams, 4. A kniȝth of mychel miȝth, His name is ihote sir Edward þe kyng.
1340. Ayenb., 36. Hi … makeþ beggeres þe knyȝtes and þe heȝemen þet uolȝeþ þe tornemens.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 72. He was a verray parfit gentil knyght.
1411. Rolls of Parlt., III. 650/2. All the Knyhtes and Esquiers and Yomen that had ledynge of men on his partie.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Irel., 92. Now we wyllen turne ayeyne to our knyghten gestes yn Irlande.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, I. xv. He was a passyng good knyght of a kynge, and but a yong man.
1556. Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden), 22. There was slayne kynge Henrys sone and many other lordes and knyttes.
1577. Harrison, England, II. v. (1877), I. 114. Knights be not borne, neither is anie Man a Knight by succession.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VIII. 57. Alexr Leuingstoun knicht … is elected gouernour of the Realme.
1648. Art. Peace, c. 7. The estates … of the lords, knights, gentlemen, and freeholders … of Connaught.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 3 Oct. We found the knight sitting on a couch, with his crutches by his side.
1800. Coleridge, Love, iv. She leaned against … The statue of the armed knight.
1818. Letters Patent, in Nicholas, Hist. Ord. Knighthood (1842), IV. 7. The said Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George shall … consist of Three Classes of Knights of the said Order.
c. More fully Knight of the Shire: A gentleman representing a shire or county in parliament; originally one of two of the rank of knight; with the abolition of almost all distinctive features of the county representation, the term has lost its distinctive meaning and is only used technically and Hist.: cf. BURGESS 1 b. Formerly sometimes Knight of the Commonty or of Parliament.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, IV. 41. Thei must … mete togedir, Þe knyȝtis of þe comunete and carpe of the maters, With Citiseyns of shiris.
1444. Rolls of Parlt., V. 110/2. All other that will be atte the assessyng of the wages of the Knyghtes of the Shire.
1538. Fitzherb., Just. Peas (1554), 132 b. Sherifes must returne such persons knights of the parliament which be chosen by þe greater nombre of the freholders.
[1544. Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 11. The Knights of all and euery Shire … chosen for their assembly in the Kings high Court of Parliament.]
1617. Minsheu, Ductor, Knights of the Shire,… otherwise bee called Knights of the Parliament, and be two Knights, or other Gentlemen of worth, that are chosen in Pleno Comitatu, by the Freeholders of euery County.
1648. Prynne, Plea for Lords, B iij b. The King … might call two Knights, Citizens and Burgesses to Parliament. Ibid., C j b. There could be no Knights of Shires … to serve in Parliament.
1679. Evelyn, Mem., 4 Feb. My Brother, Evelyn, was now chosen Knight for the County of Surrey.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 109, ¶ 7. He served his Country as Knight of this Shire to his dying Day.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. ii. 128. With regard to the elections of knights, citizens, and burgesses.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., iii. (1862), 47. The knights are to represent the ‘community of the counties,’ the citizens and burgesses the ‘community of the towns.’
d. Name of an order or rank in the political association called the ‘Primrose League.’
1885. Primrose League, 10. Obtain thirteen Signatures to the form of Declaration as Knights, or Dames. Ibid., 12. After having been a Member of the League for twelve months,… a Knight, as a special reward for meritorious service, may be elevated to the rank of Knight Companion.
1885. Primrose Rec., 17 Sept., 109. It is needless to say that they will induce as many as possible to enrol themselves as Knights, Dames, or Associates of the League.
† 5. Applied to personages of ancient history or mythology, viewed as holding a position or rank similar to that of the mediæval knight. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 406. Assaracus wes god cniht; Wið Grickes he heold moni fiht.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 283. Ðo wurð he drake ðat ear was kniȝt.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4185. Hardy Iulius, knyght war & wys.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2740. Parys the pert knight, and his pure brother Comyn vnto courtte with company grete, Of thre thowsaund þro knightes.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. xi. 48. Equicolie A lusty knycht in armis rycht semly.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings ix. 25. And Iehu sayde vnto Bidekar the knyghte.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. v. 86. This Aiax … This blended Knight, halfe Troian, and halfe Greeke.
b. freq. transl. L. mīles, a common soldier.
Miles was the regular med.L. equivalent of ‘knight.’
c. 1200. Ormin, 8185. Hise cnihhtess alle imæn Forþ ȝedenn … Wiþþ heore wæpenn alle bun.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 19824. Cornelius … calde til him tua men and a knite.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xxvii. 27. Thanne kniȝtis of the president takynge Jhesu in the mote halle, gedriden to hym all the cumpanye of kniȝtis.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 14 b/2. He is delyverd to knyghtis for to be beten.
1563. Winȝet, Four Scoir Thre Quest., Wks. 1888, I. 77. That knycht quha peirsit our Lordis syde with the speir.
fig. c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paul), 218. I am cristis lauchtful knycht.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Tim. ii. 3. Trauele þou as a good knyȝt [Vulg. miles, Tindale, etc. soudier, souldier] of crist ihesu.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 293. In parte they be weyke, and not of the strongest knyghtes of god.
6. a. Roman Antiq. (trans. L. eques horseman). One of the class of equites, who originally formed the cavalry of the Roman army, and at a later period were a wealthy class of great political importance.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 210. Off Ryngis … That war off knychtis fyngerys tane He send thre bollis to Cartage.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 459. There were none at Rome vnder the degree of a knight or gentleman that carried rings on their fingers.
1850. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1852), I. 79. The leader of the senate, the patron of the knights,… Pompeius.
b. Greek Antiq. (trans. Gr. ἴππευς horseman). A citizen of the second class at Athens in the constitution of Solon, being one whose income amounted to 300 medimni.
1820. T. Mitchell, Aristophanes, The Knights; or The Demagogues.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, II. xi. 37. The members of the second class were called knights, being accounted able to keep a war-horse.
1885. Stewart & Long, Plutarch’s Lives, III. 498. The knights rode … in solemn procession to the temple of Zeus.
7. In games: a. One of the pieces in the game of chess, now usually distinguished by the figure of a horse’s head.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxi. 71 (Harl. MS.). The chekir or þe chesse hath viij poyntes in eche partie … þe knyȝt hath iij poyntes.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. iv. C iij b. The knight ought to be maad al armed upon an hors in such wise that he have an helme on his heed [etc.].
1562. Rowbotham, Play of Cheastes. The knight hath his top cut asloope, as thoughe beynge dubbed knight.
1689. Young Statesmen, vi. in Coll. Poems Popery, 8/2. So have I seen a King on Chess, (His Rooks and Knights withdrawn).
1870. Hardy & Ware, Mod. Hoyle, Chess, 39. The knight has a power of moving which is quite peculiar.
† b. The knave in cards. Obs.
1585. Higins, trans. Junius’ Nomenclator, 294 b. Playeng cards … Eques, the knight, knaue, or varlet.
† 8. Naut. Each of two strong posts or bitts on the deck of a vessel, containing sheaves through which were passed the jeers or halyards used in raising and lowering sails. (See quot. 1627.) Obs.
1495. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 200. Shyvers of brasse … in the Knyght of the fore castell.
1611. Cotgr., Teste de More,… the Knights, a crooked peece of timber in the forecastle of a ship.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ii. 7. The Ramshead,… to this belong the fore Knight, and the maine Knight, vpon the second Decke…. They are two short thicke peeces of wood, commonly carued with the head of a man upon them, in those are foure shiuers apeece, three for the halyards and one for the top rope to run in.
a. 1642. Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, III. (1703), 345/2. The Knights belong to the Halyards.
9. in pl. A boys’ game.
‘Two big boys take two smaller ones on their shoulders; the big boys act as horses, while the younger ones seated on their shoulders try to pull each other over’ (Alice Gomme, Dict. Brit. Folk-lore, 1894).
II. Sense 4, with descriptive additions.
10. Followed by an appositive sb. † Knight adventurer = KNIGHT-ERRANT. † Knight baronet = BARONET. † Knight brother, a brother in a society or order of knights. † Knight wager, a mercenary soldier. See also BACHELOR 1 b, BANNERET 1 c, COMMANDER 4, COMPANION 5, HARBINGER 2, HOSPITALLER 3, TEMPLAR.
1636. Massinger, Bashf. Lover, II. ii. *Knight adventurers are allowed Their pages.
a. 1652. Brome, Queenes Exch., V. Wks. 1873, III. 547. With Knights adventurers I went in quest.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. ii. VI. v. (1651), 579. A Gentlemans daughter and heir must be married to a *Knight Barronets eldest son at least.
1706. Phillips, Knight Baronet, a Combination of Title, in regard the Baronetship is generally accompany’d with that of the Knighthood; but the latter was made a distinct Order by K. James I…. These Baronets were to have Precedency … before all ordinary Knights Banneret, Knights of the Bath, and Knights Batchelors.
1687. Lond. Gaz., No. 2251/3. That Order [of the Thistle], consisting of the Sovereign and Twelve *Knights Brethren.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, II. i. [I. xii.] 12. Quhat Marmidon … Or *knycht wageor to cruell Vlixes.
11. With adj. (before or after the sb.). † Knight adventurous = KNIGHT-ERRANT. † Knight caligate of arms: see CALIGATE. Military († naval, poor) knight of Windsor (see 12 b).
1429. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 346/2. The said Chapelle [of St. George] was founded by the right noble and worthy Kyng Edward the Thridde syn the Conquest … upon a Wardein, Chanons, poure Knyghtes, and other Ministres.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 279/2. Knyghte awnterows (S. knyht a-ventowrs), tiro.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, IV. xviii. Here am I redy, an auentures knyghte that wille fulfylle ony aduenture that ye wylle desyre.
1577. Harrison, England, II. v. (1877), I. 124. The thirteen chanons and six and twentie poore knights haue mantels of the order [of the garter].
1724. Lond. Gaz., No. 6290/3. First went the Poor Knights.
12. Followed by a genitive phrase.
a. Denoting a special set or class of knights (real or by courtesy). † Knight of adventurers = KNIGHT-ERRANT. † Knight of arms (see 11). Knight of Grace, a knight of Malta, of a lower rank in the order. Knight of Justice, a knight of Malta possessing full privileges. Knight of the carpet (see CARPET sb. 2 c) † Knight of the chamber = prec. † Knight of the community or parliament = Knight of the Shire (see 4 c). Knight of the Round Table, one of King Arthur’s knights (see TABLE). † Knight of the Shire (see 4 c). † Knight of the Spur, a knight bachelor. † Knight of the square flag, a banneret. Also, Knight of the Rueful Countenance: see quot.
1530. Palsgr., 236/2. *Knyght of adventures, cheualier errant.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 206. Another person of some note … was Sir John Godsalve, created *knight of the carpet at the king’s coronation.
1672. Cowell, Interpr., *Knights of the Chamber,… seem to be such Knights Batchelors as are made in time of Peace, because knighted commonly in the Kings Chamber.
1788. Picturesque Tour thro’ Europe, 18. The *Knights of Justice are alone eligible to the posts of Bailiffs, Grand Priors, and Grand Masters: the *Knights of Grace are competent to all excepting these.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 5. Ywayne and Gawayne … war *knightes of the tabyl rownde.
1774. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, iii. (1840), I. 113. The achievements of king Arthur with his knights of the round table.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 305. *Knights of the Spurre, or those which generally are known by the name of Knights.
1718. Motteux, Quix., I. xvi. The champion that routed them is … the famous Don Quixote de la Mancha, otherwise called the *Knight of the Rueful Countenance.
b. Denoting a member of some order of knighthood, as Knight of the BATH, GARTER, THISTLE, etc. q.v. Knight of St. John, of Malta, of Rhodes = HOSPITALLER 3. Knight of the Temple = TEMPLAR. Knight of Windsor, one of a small number of military officers (military knights of W.) who have pensions and apartments in Windsor Castle. (From 1797 to 1892 there were also naval knights of W.; cf. 11.) † Also, jocularly, Knight of the forked order: see FORKED 4 b; Knight of the order of the fork, one who digs with a fork (cf. 12 c).
a. 1500. [see GARTER sb. 2].
1530. Palsgr., 236/2. Knight of the order of saynt Michaell.
1608. Middleton, Mad World, my Masters, II. v. Many of these nights will make me a knight of Windsor.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Great Eater of Kent, 4. Some get their living by their … feet, as dancers, lackeyes, footmen, and weavers, and knights of the publicke or common order of the forke.
1631. T. Powell, Tom All Trades (1876), 171. A poore Knights place of Windsor.
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., I. i. You are, sir, A Knight of Malta, and, as I have heard, Have served against the Turk.
1704. Collect. Voy. (Churchill), III. 690/1. 8 Persian Horses led by eight Knights of the Golden Sun.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4799/1. The Marquis de Suza … was lately Install’d Knight of the Order of St. Maurice.
1783. Royal Warrant, in Nicholas, Hist. Ord. Knighthood (1842), IV. 6. Letters Patent … for creating a Society or Brotherhood, to be called Knights of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick.
1803. Naval Chron., IX. 158. Seven Lieutenants of the Navy are to be installed Naval Knights of Windsor.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Manners, Wks. (Bohn), II. 49. The Knights of the Bath take oath to defend injured ladies.
c. Forming various jocular (formerly often slang) phrases denoting one who is a member of a certain trade or profession, has a certain occupation or character, etc.
In the majority of these the distinctive word is the name of some tool or article commonly used by or associated with the person designated, and the number of such phrases may be indefinitely increased. Examples are:
† Knight of the blade, ‘a Hector or Bully’ (B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, a. 1700). Knight of the brush, a painter, an artist. Knight of the cleaver, a butcher. † Knight of the collar, one who has been hanged. Knight of the cue, a billiard-player. † Knight of the elbow, a cheating gambler. † Knight of the field, a tramp. Knight of the grammar, a schoolmaster. † Knight of (the) industry, a sharper or swindler (F. chevalier d’industrie). † Knight of the knife, a cutpurse. Knight of the needle, shears, thimble, a tailor. Knight of the pen, a clerk or author. Knight of the pestle, an apothecary. Knight of the quill, a writer, author. Knight of the road, a highwayman. Knight of the spigot, a tapster or publican. † Knight of the vapo(u)r, a smoker. Knight of the whip, a coachman. Knight of the wheel, a cyclist. Knight of the whipping-post, a sharper or other disreputable person. See also KNIGHT OF THE POST.
1885. J. Coleman, in Longm. Mag., Nov., 78. I once heard a distinguished *knight of the brush exclaim, ‘D—n the author and the actors! the public come to see my scenery!’
c. 1554. Interl. Youth, in Hazl., Dodsley, II. 15. Thou didst enough there For to be made *knight of the collar.
1887. Graphic, 15 Jan., 55/2. The *‘knights of the cue’ keep the balls a-rolling.
1693. Humours Town, 92. Sharpers are divided into Bullies and *Knights of the Elbow.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 430. Because that Scotland of thy begging irkis, Thow scapis in France to be a *knycht of the felde.
1692. Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., viii. M.’s Wks. (1851), 185. A Stipend large enough for a *Knight of the Grammar, or an illustrious Critick on Horseback.
1658. Cleveland, Rustic Rampant, Wks. (1687), 475. Our Hacksters Errant, of the Round Table, *Knights of Industry.
1668. Etheredge, She wou’d if she cou’d, III. iii. Let me commend this ingenious Gentleman to Your Acquaintance; he is a Knight of the Industry.
1751. Smollett, Per. Pic. (1779), III. lxxxiv. 310. Our hero was a professed enemy to all knights of industry.
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, II. iii. Is this … a *knight of the knife?… I meane … a cutpurse.
1778. Foote, Trip Calais, I. 24. The *knights of the needle are another sort of people at our end of the town.
a. 1735. Arbuthnot, Ess. Apoth., Wks. 1751, II. 111. There being no part of Mankind, that affords a greater variety of uncommon Appearances than the *Knights of the Pestle.
1691–2. Gentl. Jrnl., March, 2. I know some of your sturdy, tuff *Knights of the Quill, your old Soakers at the Cabbaline Font.
1665. R. Head, Eng. Rogue, xxvi. 86. An Oath, which every young Thief must observe … at his investation into the honour of one of the *Knights of the Road.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., viii. When an old song comes across us merry old *knights of the spigot, it runs away with our discretion.
1812. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 139. A gallant *knight of the thimble.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Great Eater of Kent, 5. Some [live] by smoake; as tobacconists, *knights of the vapour, gentlemen of the whiffe, esquires of the pipe.
1813. Examiner, 7 Feb., 84/2. We cannot too often caution the *Knights of the Whip against so dangerous … a practice.
1819. Scott, Lett. to Son Walter, 4 Sept., in Lockhart. Blacklegs and sharpers, and all that numerous class whom … we [call] *knights of the whipping-post.
d. Knights of Labour, an extensive association in the United States, embracing many of the Trade Unions; Knights of Pythias, a secret order, founded at Washington in 1864. (Funk, Stand. Dict.).
1886. Harper’s Weekly, 3 April, 213/3. The order of the Knights of Labour was founded in 1869 by five workmen of Philadelphia.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. III. lvi. 370. The enormous organization or league of trades unions known as the Knights of Labour.
III. 13. attrib. and Comb.
a. With knight-, as knight-martyr; † knight-bairn, a male child; † knight-cross = knight’s cross; † knight-money = knighthood-money; † knight-weed, the dress of a knight; † knight-wered, a band of warriors; † knight-wife, a female knight or warrior.
c. 1205. Lay., 15526. Ȝif mon funde … æuer æi *cniht bærn, þe næuere fæder no ibæd.
1725. Bradley, Fant. Dict., Jerusalem-Cross, called by some the *Knight, or Scarlet Cross.
1826. W. E. Andrews, Exam. Fox’s Cal. Prot. Saints, 49. The condemnation of this … gentlewoman and *knight-martyr.
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., II. 31. *Knight-mony, Ship-mony, with sundry other unlawfull Taxes.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 544. Hee cast of his *Knightweede, & cloþes hym neew.
c. 1205. Lay., 26766. Al þa *cniht-weorede fluen an heore steden.
1483. Cath. Angl., 205/2. A *knyghte wyffe, militissa.
b. With knight’s, chiefly in names of plants: knight’s cross, Scarlet Lychnis, L. chalcedonica; † knight’s milfoil, a yellow species of Achillea; † knight’s pondwort, Water-soldier, Stratiotes aloides; knight’s star, -star lily, the amaryllidaceous genus Hippeastrum; † knight’s water-sengreen, wort, woundwort = knight’s pondwort. See also KNIGHT’S FEE, KNIGHT-SERVICE.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 306. *Knight’s Cross, Lychnis.
1598. Lyte, Dodoens, I. ci. 143. The second is called … in English *Knights Milfoyle: souldiers Yerrow, and yellow knighten Yerrow. Ibid. The first is called … in English Knights worte, Knights wounde worte, or Knightes water woundworte, *Knights Pondeworte, and of some Knights water Sengreene.
1855. Loudon’s Encycl. Plants, 1176. *Knight’s Star.
1866. Treas. Bot., 590/2. The Knight’s Star Lily, a genus … consisting of South American and West Indian bulbs, remarkable for their showy flowers.
c. With knighten (ME. gen. pl.): knighten court (also knights-court): see quot. 1701; knighten-gild, a gild of knights; knighten-milfoil = knight’s milfoil; knightenspence, some local rate; knightenway, a military road; knighten-yarrow = knight’s milfoil.
c. 1050. Charter Edw. Confessor, in Calendar Letterbks., Guildhall London (1891), II. 218. Mine men on Anʓioce cnihte ʓilde [read mine men on Englisce cnihte gilde.]
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. cxxix. (Add. MS.), lf. 332. Agger is an huple of stones or a tokene in þe hihe way and histories clepiþ such a wey knyȝtene weye [viam militarem].
1467. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 390. That then he pay taske tallage, knyghtenspence, wacches, and other charges.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. ci. 143. Yellow knighten Yerrow. Ibid. The other with the thousand leaues, called Knighten Mylfoile.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 426. King Edgar established here without Aldgate a Knightengield or Confrery, for thirteene knights or souldiers.
1701. Cowell’s Interpr., Knighton-Court, Is a Court-Baron or Honor-Court, held twice a Year under the Bishop of Hereford at his Palace there; wherein those who are Lords of Manours, and their Tenants … are Suiters.
