The verb is derived from Late Middle English knappen (“to strike (something)”); further etymology uncertain, probably related to Middle Dutch knappen, cnappen (“to break (something) with a sharp sound, snap; to crack or crackle”) (modern Dutch knappen), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
The noun is derived from Late Middle English knap, knappe (“sharp blow, strike”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from the verb (see above), or related to an ancestor of Danish knep and Swedish knäpp (“a flick, rap, snap”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
Meanings
(dialectal, qualifier:chiefly archaic or obsolete except UK) A sudden, sharp blow, knock, or slap; a rap, a whack.
(dialectal, qualifier:chiefly archaic or obsolete except UK) The sound made by such a blow, knock, or slap.
Pulling the punch straight back to its initial starting position, sometimes referred to as "snapping it back," is the most effective way of selling the straight punch. It tells the audience the punch was thrown, they hear a knap, and the victim is 'injured.' […] The knap sound, like all punches, is crucial to the effect of selling the punch, but the technique used to get the knap sound has to be well hidden. 2012, Andrew Ashenden, “The Straight Punch”, in Basics of Stage Combat: Unarmed, Boca Raton, Fla.: Universal-Publishers, →ISBN, page 63:
Foot Stomp […] The sole of the attacker's foot covers the victim's foot without actually touching it. The sounds of the attacker's heel striking the floor creates the knap. The victim adds vocal and physical pain reactions. 1982, J. D. Martinez, “Kneeing, Kicking, and Stomping”, in Combat Mime: A Non-violent Approach to Stage Violence (A Burnham Publishers Book), Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, published 2001, →ISBN, page 148:
(dialectal, qualifier:chiefly archaic or obsolete except UK) Synonym of chattering damsel (“a component of a traditional mill which creates a vibratory motion to impel portions of grain toward the millstone; a clapper”).
(figuratively, obsolete) A method of cheating at a dice game.
'Tis your pence a piece, / […] / Preſto begon? or come aloft? VVhat vvay? / Doublets? or Knap? The Cog? lovv Dice? or high? a. 1659 (date written), John Cleveland, “The Publick Faith”, in The Works of Mr. John Cleveland, […], London: […] R. Holt, for Obadiah Blagrave, […], published 1687, →OCLC, page 200:
And fights vvith Money-bags as bold, / As men vvith Sand-bags did of old: / […] Engages blind and ſenſeleſs Hap / 'Gainſt High, and Lovv, and Slur and Knap, […] a. 1681 (date written), Samuel Butler, “Satyr”, in R[obert] Thyer, editor, The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose of Mr. Samuel Butler, […], volume I, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1759, →OCLC, page 83, lines 45–46 and 51–52:
The verb is derived from Late Middle English knappen (“to strike (something)”); further etymology uncertain, probably related to Middle Dutch knappen, cnappen (“to break (something) with a sharp sound, snap; to crack or crackle”) (modern Dutch knappen), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
The noun is derived from Late Middle English knap, knappe (“sharp blow, strike”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from the verb (see above), or related to an ancestor of Danish knep and Swedish knäpp (“a flick, rap, snap”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
Meanings
(transitive) To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap.
VVhy I tye about thy vvriſt, / Julia, this my ſilken tvvist, / […] / 'Tis but ſilke that bindeth thee; / Knap the thread, and thou art free; / But 'tis othervviſe vvith me: / I am bound, and faſt bound ſo, / That from thee I cannot go; / If I co'd, I vvo'd not so. 1648, Robert Herrick, “The Bracelet to Julia”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC:
O God of peace vvhich makeſt an end of vvarre in al the vvorld, and breakeſt the bovve, and knappeſt the ſpeares aſunder, and burneſt the chariots vvith fire; protect vs from vvarre and ſlaughter; ſcatter the nations that delight in vvarre. 1586, Iohn Avenar [i.e., Johann Habermann], “A Praier for Peace”, in Thomas Rogers, transl., The Enimie of Securitie or A Daily Exercise of Godlie Meditations, […], London: […] Henrie Denham […], →OCLC, page 179:
He hath made warres to ceaſſe in all the worlde: he hath broken the bowe, he hath knapped the ſpeare in ſonder, ⁊ brẽt [brent] the charettes in the fyre. 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Psalm xlv:[9]:
(especially, specifically, transitive) To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap. ▸ To break away flakes from (a brittle material which fractures conchoidally (“with planar concentric curves”), usually a mineral such as chert, flint, or obsidian), often to form a tool with a sharp edge or point.
[O]ne knapper, who was very skilled and, therefore, presumed to be an adult, made highly standardized prismatic blades. These blades were widely distributed for use throughout the site – in fact, only 10 of the 50 blades and bladelets this individual crafted were found where they were knapped. 2021, April Nowell, “Stone Tools, Skill Acquisition and Learning a Craft”, in Growing Up in the Ice Age: Fossil and Archaeological Evidence of the Lived Lives of Plio-Pleistocene Children, Oxford, Oxfordshire; Havertown, Pa.: Oxbow Books, →ISBN, page 84:
After every five or six shots, check the flint and tighten the jaws, if the flint has shifted. After twenty shots, flip the flint and dry fire the gun. This should knap the edge [of the flint]. 1996 November, Lionel Atwill, “The Flash of Flint on Steel”, in Duncan Barnes, editor, Field & Stream, east edition, volume CI, number 7, New York, N.Y.: Times Mirror Magazines, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 48, column 2:
An average workman will knap 3,000 flints in a day of 12 hours, but a good one will make 4,000 at a pinch. 1879, Sydney B. J. Skertchly, “Manufacture of Gun-flints”, in On the Manufacture of Gun-flints, the Methods of Excavating for Flint, the Age of Palæolithic Man, and the Connexion between Neolithic Art and the Gun-flint Trade (Memoirs of the Geological Survey, England and Wales), London: […] Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, and sold by Longman & Co., […], →OCLC, page 33:
Not all chert and non-chert materials are amenable to knapping. […] Because a knapper removes flakes by loading force into a small area of the target core, materials that contain many inclusions or are coarse-grained are difficult to knap – the inclusions deflect energy producing irregular results. 1998 January, Anthony Tolonen, Laura Clifford, “Appendix F: Phase I Cultural Resource Report: Proposed Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Expansion, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina [Method]”, in Environmental Impact Statement: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport: Appendices F–J (Project E&A-004), volume I (Technical Report), page 39:
(transitive) To strike (something) sharply; to knock, to rap.
Take one Veſſel of Siluer, and another of VVood, and fill each of them full of VVater, and then knap the Tongs together, as before, about an handfull from the Bottome, and you ſhall finde the Sound much more Reſounding from the Veſſel of Siluer, than from that of VVood: […] ſuch a Communication paſſeth farre better, thorovv VVater, than Aire. 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “VII. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching Production, Conseruation, and Delation of Sounds; and the Office of the Aire therein.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 134, page 154:
"That will be sixpence," he said without looking up. She knapped her lips together and turned on her heel without another word. 1977, Marilynne K. Roach, Encounters with the Invisible World: Being Ten Tales of Ghosts, Witches, & the Devil Himself in New England, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Y[oung] Crowell Co., →ISBN, page 10:
(transitive) Followed by off: to break (something) away from another thing by striking or tapping sharply.
Its [i.e., the foment is] prevalent in fixt Scorbutic Pains, for as much as it ſuſtains the Tone of the parts, layeth the vveary Spirits to reſt, knappeth off the ſharp points of the Salts, and forceth the acrid Ichor to evaporate either by inſenſible Effluvia or Svveat. 1710, Thomas Fuller, “A Scorbutic Foment”, in Pharmacopœia Extemporanea: Or, A Body of Prescripts. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Walford,, […], →OCLC, page 170:
VVith his rod […] he knapt of the uppermoſt heads and tops of the poppies. 1600, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “[Book LIV]”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 38:
(figuratively, transitive) To say (something) crisply or sharply.
And there's Leddy Glendochart that is a real credit to the family, and has travelled, and can knap English with the best—far better than you. 1890, [Margaret] Oliphant, chapter VIII, in Kirsteen: The Story of a Scotch Family Seventy Years Ago […], volume III, London: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, page 142:
[T]he evil spirit of the year sixteen hundred and forty-twa is at wark again as merrily as ever, and ilka [every] auld wife in the chimley-neuck will be for knapping doctrine wi' doctors o' divinity and the godly fathers o' the church. 1816, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VII, in Tales of My Landlord, […], volume II (Old Mortality), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for William Blackwood, […]; London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 150:
(intransitive) To break or fracture suddenly; to snap.
In ſtringinge of your bovv […] you muſt mark the fit length of youre bovve. […] Yf it [the string] be longe, the bendynge muſt nedes be in the ſmal of the ſtring, vvhich beynge ſore tvvined muſte nedes knap in ſunder to yͤ diſtruction of manye good bovves. 1545, Roger Ascham, Toxophilus, the Schole of Shootinge […], London: […] Edouardi Whytchurch, →OCLC:
(intransitive) To make a cracking or snapping sound; to crack, to snap.
If the Thigh-bone be luxated invvard, and the Patient young and of a tender Conſtitution, it may be reduced by the Hand of the Chirurgeon: […] [H]e muſt ſuddenly force the Knee up tovvards the Belly, and preſs back the head of the Femur into its Acetabulum, and it vvill knap in. 1676, Richard Wiseman, “An Appendix to the Treatise of Gun-shot Wounds. Chapter VIII. Of Luxation of the Hip.”, in Severall Chirurgicall Treatises, London: […] E. Flesher and J. Macock, for R[ichard] Royston […], and B[enjamin] Took, […], →OCLC, page 495:
(intransitive) To strike sharply.
(figuratively, intransitive) To speak crisply or sharply.
(figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To cheat while gambling, especially at a dice game.
fi lohkaista ((transitive) to say (something) crisply or sharply; (intransitive) to speak crisply or sharply) · fi lohkoa (to break away flakes from (a brittle material), often to form a tool with a sharp edge or point) · vi ghè (to break away flakes from (a brittle material), often to form a tool with a sharp edge or point) · pt lascar (to break away flakes from (a brittle material), often to form a tool with a sharp edge or point) · fi napauttaa ((transitive) to say (something) crisply or sharply; (intransitive) to speak crisply or sharply)
From Middle English knap, knappe (“small projection, knob (button, tassel, tuft, etc.); hill; hilltop; etc.”), from Old English cnæp, cnæpp (“summit, top”); further etymology uncertain, possibly related to Old Norse knappr (“small projection, knob (button, head of a stick, etc.)”) (whence English knop), from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knuppô.
Meanings
(UK, dialectal) A piece of raised ground or a short, steep slope; a small hill; a hillock, a knoll.
Through the whole extent of the parish, a line of knaps can be distinctly traced. […] Almost every eminence seems to have had its knap. The use of these knaps cannot be mistaken. The uniform testimony of tradition, their local situation, and the quantity of ashes found in such of them as have been demolished, clearly point it out. They served as beacons, whereon fires were kindled, to indicate alarm, on the appearance of danger, or the approach of an enemy. 1810 May 9 (date written), Milo [pseudonym], “Tour from Arbroath to Montrose”, in The Scots Magazine, and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany: […], volume LXXII, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Company [b]y J. Harden & Co., published May 1810, →OCLC, pages 342–343:
"Now, where's the inn?" said Mountclere, yawning. "Just on the knap," Sol answered. "'Tis a little small place, and we must do as well as we can." 1876, Thomas Hardy, “Sandbourne—A Lonely Heath—The ‘Old Fox’—The Highway”, in The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 235:
[Y]ou ſhall ſee many fine ſeats ſet upon a knap of ground, environed vvith higher hills round about it; […] 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Building”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
(UK, dialectal) The crest or top of a hill.
the highest part and knap of the same Iland 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
Hearke on knap of yonder hill / Some ſvveet ſhepheard tunes his quill, / And the maidens in a round / Sit (to heare him) on the ground. 1614, William Browne, “The Shepheard‘s Pipe. The First Eglogue.”, in [Thomas Davies], editor, The Works of William Browne, volume III, London: […] T[homas] Davies, […], published 1772, →OCLC, page 10:
[…] Don Lucas […] thinkes in the darke morning to get the advantage of the hill-knap, and then to fall dovvne upon his enemie to be in his old Quarters. The hill top that Don Lucas thought to have gotten, vvas the ſame knap vvhich the Rhinegrave had before poſſeſſed himſelfe of: on the ſide of vvhich, Stolhanſhe vvas alſo lodged. 1633, [William Watts], “The Advancing of Another Spanish Armie into the Palatinate, after the King of Swedens Departure thence towards Bavaria. […]”, in The Swedish Intelligencer. The Fourth Part. Relating the Chiefest of Those Military Actions of the Swedish Generalls; wherein the King Himselfe was Not Personally with the Armie. […], London: […] [John Legate and Miles Flesher] for Nath[aniel] Butter and N[icholas] Bourne, →OCLC, page 5:
Origin uncertain; possibly:
* from Middle English *kneppen (compare Middle English knippette (“pincers for cracking nuts”)), from Old Norse kneppa (“to pinch, press, squeeze; to button, clasp; to hug”), from Proto-Germanic *knappijaną (“to clamp; to squeeze”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnebʰ- (“to constrict, tighten; to press”);
* related to knap (etymology 1); or
* imitative of a mouth snapping shut; compare gnap (“to snap at”) (obsolete except Scotland), nab (“to bite gently, nibble”) (obsolete except Southern and Western England).
Meanings
(UK, dialectal, transitive) To take a small, quick bite at or of (someone or something); to nibble, to nip, to snap.
I vvould ſhee vvere as lying goſſippe in that, as euer knapt Ginger, or made her neighbors beleeue ſhe vvept for the death of a third husband: […] c. 1596–1598 (date written), W[illiam] Shakespeare, The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. […] (First Quarto), [London]: […] J[ames] Roberts [for Thomas Heyes], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], signature E2, verso:
[H]orses' playful neigh, / From rustic's whips, and plough, and waggon, free, / Baiting in careless freedom o'er the leas, / Or turn'd to knap each other at their ease. 1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Sunday Walks.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume II, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC, pages 105–106:
(UK, dialectal, intransitive) To take a small, quick bite.
[In Thomas Elyot's book The Boke Named the Governour (1531)] vvere ſome ſharp and quick ſentences; vvhich many of the ſparks could not vvell bear. They complained of his ſtrange terms, as they called them. Theſe Elyot compared to a galled horſe abiding no plaiſters, that vvere alvvays knapping and kicking at ſuch examples and ſentences as they felt ſharp, or did bite them. 1721, John Strype, “The King’s Primer; for the Better Instruction of the Laity. Seditious Books Called in. Sir Tho. Eliot’s Letter to Crumwel on this Occasion. Some Account of this Learned Knight.”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], →OCLC:
(UK, alt-of, dialectal, obsolete, transitive) Obsolete spelling of nap (“to arrest (someone); to grab or nab (someone or something); to steal (something); (obsolete) to receive (severe punishment), especially during a boxing match or a flogging; (generally) to receive (something)”).
[T]o knap a clout, is to steal a pocket-handkerchief: to knap the swag from your pall, is to take from him the property he has just stolen, for the purpose of carrying it: to knap seven or fourteen pen'worth, is to receive sentence of transportation for seven or fourteen years: to knap the glim, is to catch the venereal disease: in making a bargain, to knap the sum offered you, is to accept it; […] [1823, [Francis Grose]; Pierce Egan, “Knap”, in Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, […], London: […] [Samuel] Hooper and [Henry] Wigstead, […], →OCLC:
Some entered the ring in very bad condition, and immediately got a-piping, like hot mutton pies—fell on their own blows, and knapped it every round, till they shewed the white feather and bolted. 1820 October, “An Hour’s Tete-a-tete with the Public”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume VIII, number XLIII, Edinburgh: William Blackwood; London: T[homas] Cadell and W[illiam] Davies, […], →OCLC, page 81: