767
knifepoint
klep·to·ma·ni·ac /ˌkleptəˈmeɪniæk/ also klep·to
/ˈkleptəʊ/ infml — n a person suffering from kleptomania
Kling·on /ˈklɪŋɒn||-ɔːn/ an imaginary race of fierce creatures,
featuring in the television series STAR TREK
KLM /ˌkeɪ el ˈem/ trademark a Dutch AIRLINE
Klon·dike, the /ˈklɒndaɪk||ˈklɑːn-/ an area in northwest
Canada, in the Yukon. Gold was discovered there in the
1890s, and this caused a GOLD RUSH (=when many people go
to an area to look for gold).
klutz, clutz /klʌts/ n AmE a person who is awkward and
ungraceful in their movements or actions
km written abbrev. for kilometre(s)
K Mart /ˈkeɪ mɑt||-mɑːrt/ trademark a popular US department
store that sells many different types of goods, including
clothes and things for the home, at low prices
knack /næk/ n [(the) S] infml a special skill or ability, usually the
result of practice: He has a/the knack of making friends
wherever he goes. | once you’ve got the knack of it
knack·ered /ˈnækəd||-ərd/ adj [F] BrE slang extremely tired;
exhausted (EXHAUST¹). The word is not usually used in polite
company.
knack·er’s yard /ˈnækəz ˌjɑːd||-ərz ˌjɑːrd/ n BrE a place
where old horses are killed, especially so that their flesh can
be sold as animal food: (fig.) That old car of yours is only fit
for the knacker’s yard. (=you should get rid of it)
knap·sack /ˈnæpsæk/ n RUCKSACK
knave /neɪv/ n 1 BrE the CARD (1) with a value between the
ten and the queen; the JACK → see Cultural Note at
CARDS 2 old use a dishonest man or boy —knavish adj
—knavishly adv
knav·ery /ˈneɪvəri/ n [C;U] especially old use (a piece of)
dishonest behaviour
knead /niːd/ v [T] 1 to press (especially a flour-and-water
mixture for making bread) firmly and repeatedly with the
hands: The cook kneaded the dough. 2 to press or make other
movements on (a muscle or other part of the body) to cure
pain, stiffness etc: The masseur kneaded my back.
knee¹ /niː/ n 1 the middle joint of the leg, where it bends: a
baby sitting on its father’s knee | She went down on her knees
to pray/to beg for mercy. | pain in the knees 2 the part of a
pair of trousers, TIGHTS etc, that covers the knee: big holes in
the knees of his old trousers 3 bend the knee to (someone)
lit to admit that (someone) has control over one 4 bring
someone to their knees to force someone to admit defeat
→ see also the bee’s knees (BEE), at one’s mother’s knee
(MOTHER¹), weak at the knees (WEAK)
knee² v -d [T(in)] to hit with the knee: The wrestler kneed his
opponent in the stomach.
'knee breeches n [P] old-fashioned short tight trousers
reaching to just below the knee, especially as worn on
ceremonial occasions → see PAIR¹ (USAGE)
knee·cap¹ /ˈniːkæp/ n the bone at the front of the knee
kneecap² v -pp- [T] to shoot the kneecaps of (someone),
usually as an unofficial punishment. This form of punish-
ment has often been used by TERRORISTS in Northern Ire-
land.
,knee-’deep adj [(In)] deep enough to reach the knees: The
water is knee-deep. | He was knee-deep in mud. | (fig.) knee-deep
in work (=having a lot of work to do)
,knee-’high adj 1 tall enough to reach the knees: The grass
was knee-high. 2 knee-high to a grasshopper infml humor
(especially of a child) very small or young
'knee-jerk adj [A] derog (of opinions) held or produced
without thought, as the result of long habit: his knee-jerk
reaction to feminism | a knee-jerk Liberal
kneel /niːl/ v knelt /nelt/ also kneeled AmE — [I(DOWN, on)] to
go down onto or remain on one’s knee(s): She knelt (down)
on the mat and began to pray.
'knee-length adj long enough to reach the knees: a knee-
length skirt | knee-length boots
'knee sock n a sock which comes up to the knee. Knee socks
are worn especially by young girls.
'knees-up n especially BrE infml a party or other celebration,
usually involving dancing: The office Christmas party was a
real knees-up.
knell /nel/ n especially lit the sound of a bell rung slowly,
especially for a death or funeral: (fig.) His decision sounds the
death knell for all our hopes. (=means that our hopes will
not be fulfilled)
Knes·set, the /ˈkneset/ the Israeli parliament
knew /njuː||nuː/ past tense of KNOW
knick·er·bock·er glo·ry /ˌnɪkərbkə ˈɡlɔːri||-kərbɑːkər-/
n a sweet dish made from fruit, ice cream, JELLY, and cream,
served in a tall glass; a SUNDAE
knick·er·bock·ers /ˈnɪkəˌbɒkəz||ˈnɪkərˌbɑːkərz/ n [P]
short loose trousers made to fit tightly just below the knees,
worn especially in former times → see PAIR¹ (USAGE)
knick·ers¹ /ˈnɪkəz||-ərz/ n [P] 1 BrE infml a short undergar-
ment worn by women and girls, covering the area between
the waist and the top of the legs; PANTIES: a pair of frilly
knickers → compare UNDERPANTS 2 AmE knickerbock-
ers 3 get one’s knickers in a twist BrE humor slang to become
angry or confused → see PAIR¹ (USAGE)
knickers² interj BrE humor slang (used as an expression of
fearless disrespect)
knick·knack, nicknack /ˈnɪk næk/ n infml a small cheap
decorative object, especially for the house: various knick-
knacks on the mantelpiece
knife
cleaver
bread knife
carving knife
Swiss army
knife
paring knife
knife¹ /naɪf/ n knives /naɪvz/ 1 a blade fixed in a handle,
used for cutting as a tool or weapon; in Britain, it is illegal to
carry a knife around with you, as it is considered to be a
dangerous weapon: He picked up the knife and stabbed her. | a
table knife (=for cutting up one’s food) | hunting knives | to
sharpen a blunt knife → see also FORK, PAPER KNIFE 2 BrE
have/get one’s knife in/into someone infml to continue to
treat someone as an enemy: I don’t know why, but she’s really
got her knife in him at the moment. 3 put/stick the knife in
BrE to criticize someone severely or say bad things about
them in order to upset or harm them: Politicians love
election campaigns, because they prefer putting the knife in to
doing any work. | We try to run the best possible coach service,
and I’m tired of passengers continually sticking the knife in.
Note the fixed order in the phrase knife and fork:
Put your knife and fork down on the plate if you’ve
finished eating.
knife² v [T(ln)] to stick a knife into (someone); STAB: He was
knifed in the stomach during a street-fight.
'knife-edge n 1 something narrow and sharp: a knife-edge of
rocks just below the surface of the sea | knife-edge pleats in a
skirt 2 on a knife-edge a) (of a person) very anxious
about the future result of something: on a knife-edge about
the exams b) delicately balanced; with the result extremely
uncertain: The success or failure of the plan was balanced on
a knife-edge.
knife·point /ˈnaɪfpɔɪnt/ n at knifepoint using a knife to
threaten someone: An eighty-year-old man was robbed at
knifepoint in his home.