different between scoundrel vs knave

English

Etymology

Possibly related to northern English or Scottish scunner: "to shrink back in fear or loathing" (Encyclopædia Britannica 1911).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ska??nd??l/

Noun

scoundrel (plural scoundrels)

1. A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honour or virtue.

Synonyms

• see also Thesaurus:villain

Derived terms

• scoundrelish, scoundrelly, scoundrelous, scoundrelously

Translations

See also

• Scoundrel in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

English

Etymology

From Middle English knave, knafe, from Old English cnafa (“child, boy, youth; servant”), from Proto-West Germanic *knab?.

Pronunciation

• enPR: n?v, IPA^(key): /ne?v/
• Rhymes: -e?v
• Homophone: nave

Noun

knave (plural knaves)

1. (archaic) A boy; especially, a boy servant.
2. (archaic) Any male servant; a menial.

   • Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave that, doting on his own obsequious bondage, wears out his time, much like his master's ass, For naught but provender, and when he's old – cashier'd! Whip me such honest knaves.

3. A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person.

   Synonyms: rogue, villain

   • I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.
4. (card games) A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:villain

Derived terms

• knavery
• knavish

Translations

Anagrams

• Kevan, Vanek

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cnave, knafe, cnafe, knaffe, knaue, knawe, knaf, knaw

Etymology

From Old English cnafa, from Proto-Germanic *knabô. Compare knape.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kna?v(?)/

Noun

knave (plural knaves or knaven)

1. son, male child (offspring)
2. boy, lad, male child or baby
3. guy, bloke, man
4. servant, hireling, menial
5. peasant, lowly individual
6. infantryman, soldier
7. knave, caitiff, despicable individual

Related terms

• knave child

Descendants

• English: knave
• Scots: knave, knafe, knaif

References

• “kn?ve, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-23.