English

Noun

knack ‎(plural knacks)

1. A readiness in performance; aptness at doing something; skill; facility; dexterity.
   • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 254a.

     The sophist runs for conver to the darkness of what is not and attaches himself to it by some knack of his;

   • 2011 October 2, Jonathan Jurejko, “Bolton 1–5 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:

     And the Premier League's all-time top-goalscoring midfielder proved he has not lost the knack of being in the right place at the right time with a trio of clinical finishes.

2. A petty contrivance; a toy; a plaything; a knickknack.
3. Something performed, or to be done, requiring aptness and dexterity; a trick; a device.

Translations

References

1. ↑ “knack” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Verb

knack ‎(third-person singular simple present knacks, present participle knacking, simple past and past participle knacked)

1. (obsolete, Britain, dialect) To crack; to make a sharp, abrupt noise; to chink.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bishop Hall to this entry?)

2. To speak affectedly.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

Translations