knee

I. 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 adjective II. transitive verb (kneed; kneeing) Date: before 12th century 1. archaic to bend the knee to 2. to strike with the knee