different between knee vs knew

English

Etymology

From Middle English kne, from Old English cn?ow, from Proto-West Germanic *kneu, from Proto-Germanic *knew? (compare Low German Knee, Dutch knie, German Knie, Danish knæ, Norwegian kne, Swedish knä), from Proto-Indo-European *?néw-o-m, a thematic derivative of *?ónu. Cognate with Hittite ???????? (genu), Latin gen?, Tocharian A kanwe? (dual), Tocharian B ken?, Ancient Greek ???? (gónu, “knee”), ????? (g?nía, “corner, angle”), Old Armenian ????? (cunr), Avestan ????????????????? (žnum), Sanskrit ???? (j??nu).

The obsolete plural kneen is from Middle English kneen, knen, kneon, kneuwene.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: n?, IPA^(key): /ni?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ni/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /kni?/
• Rhymes: -i?
• Homophone: nee

Noun

knee (plural knees or (obsolete or dialectal) kneen)

1. In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.
2. In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in humans.
3. The part of a garment that covers the knee.
4. (shipbuilding) A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
   • 1980, Richard W. Unger, The Ship in the Medieval Economy 600-1600, page 41

     Deck beams were supported by hanging knees, triangular pieces of wood typically found underneath the timbers they are designed to support, but in this case found above them.

5. An act of kneeling on one knee, typically to acknowledge an injury, sacrifice or otherwise to show respect.

6. (archaic) An act of kneeling, especially to show respect or courtesy.
   • circa 1605, William Shakespeare, Timon of Athens, Act III, scene iii, line 36

     Give them title, knee, and approbation.

7. Any knee-shaped item or sharp angle in a line; an inflection point.

   the knee of a graph

8. A blow made with the knee; a kneeing.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

knee (third-person singular simple present knees, present participle kneeing, simple past and past participle kneed)

1. (transitive, archaic) To kneel to.
   • 1605: I could as well be brought / To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg / To keep base life afoot. — William Shakespeare, King Lear II.ii
2. (transitive) To poke or strike with the knee.
3. (reflexive) To move on the knees; to use the knees to move.

Translations

Anagrams

• Enke, Keen, keen, kene, kène, neek

Middle English

Noun

knee

1. Alternative form of kne

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From the noun kne n (“knee”).

Pronunciation

• (verb): IPA^(key): /²kne??/ (example of pronunciation)
• (noun): IPA^(key): /?kne??/ (example of pronunciation)

Verb

knee (present tense knear, past tense knea, past participle knea, passive infinitive kneast, present participle kneande, imperative kne)

1. (intransitive) to kneel, to fall on one's knees

   Synonym: knele

2. (intransitive) to walk on one's knees
3. (transitive) to poke or strike with the knee

Alternative forms

• knea (as a-infinitive)

Noun

knee n

1. (Midlandsnormalen) definite singular of kne

References

• “knee” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: nyo?o, IPA^(key): /?nju?/
• (General American) enPR: no?o, IPA^(key): /?n(j)u/
• Rhymes: -u?
• Homophone: new

Verb

knew

1. simple past tense of know
2. (colloquial, nonstandard) past participle of know

Anagrams

• Wenk, Wnek

Middle English

Noun

knew

1. Alternative form of kne