knuckled

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Related to knuckled: knuckle down, knuckled under

knuck·le

(nŭk′əl)

a. The prominence of the dorsal aspect of a joint of a finger, especially of one of the joints connecting the fingers to the hand.

b. A rounded protuberance formed by the bones in a joint.

2. A cut of meat centering on the carpal or tarsal joint, as of a pig.

3. The part of a hinge through which the pin passes.

4. A sharp angle formed by the meeting of two surfaces, especially two ship's timbers.

5. knuckles Brass knuckles.

tr.v. knuck·led, knuck·ling, knuck·les

1. To press, rub, or hit with the knuckles.

2. To shoot (a marble) with the thumb over the bent forefinger.

Phrasal Verbs:

knuckle down

To apply oneself earnestly to a task.

knuckle under

To yield to pressure; give in.

[Middle English knokel.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

References in classic literature ?

The boy stopped in his rapid blinking, knuckled his forehead again, glanced at Sissy, turned about, and retreated.

View in context

Those few months would either make or break him, but he knuckled down and kicked on to take his Shamrock Rovers opportunity with both hands.

BRANDON MIELE deserves huge credit [...]

Caption: In honor of its 11th vintage of Old Knuckiehead Barley Wine, BridgePort Brewing Company "knuckled in" beer writer Fred Eckhardt at a recent ceremony on Wednesday at the BridgePort Brewpub in Portland, OR.