different between knab vs knaw

English

Etymology

See nab, and compare knap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /næb/
• Rhymes: -æb

Verb

knab (third-person singular simple present knabs, present participle knabbing, simple past and past participle knabbed)

1. (colloquial) To nab or steal.
2. (obsolete) To seize with the teeth; to gnaw.

   • a Mouthful of Fresh Grats to Knab upon

Anagrams

• Bank, bank, nabk

English

Etymology 1

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Verb

knaw (third-person singular simple present knaws, present participle knawing, simple past and past participle knawed)

1. Archaic spelling of gnaw.

Etymology 2

Verb

knaw (third-person singular simple present knaws, present participle knawing, simple past knawed, past participle knawn)

1. Nonstandard form of know.

Anagrams

• Kwan, kawn, wank

Middle English

Noun

knaw

1. Alternative form of knave

Middle Welsh

Etymology

Probably borrowed from Old Irish cnáim (“bone”), but at any rate ultimately from Proto-Celtic *kn?mis, from Proto-Indo-European *kónh?m (“leg”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ????? (kn?m?, “tibia”) and English ham.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /knau?/

Noun

knaw m (plural kneu or knouein)

1. bone
2. skull

Descendants

• ? Welsh: pencnaw (“end of a bone”)

Mutation

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present) , “cnaw”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

References