1.
[syn: bent, knack, hang]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Knack \Knack\ (n[a^]k), v. i. [Prob. of imitative origin; cf. G.
knacken to break, Dan. knage to crack, and E. knock.]
1. To crack; to make a sharp, abrupt noise to chink. [Obs. or
Prov. Eng.] --Bp. Hall.
[1913 Webster]
2. To speak affectedly. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Knack \Knack\, n.
1. A petty contrivance; a toy; a plaything; a knickknack.
[1913 Webster]
A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap. --Shak.
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2. A readiness in performance; aptness at doing a specific
task; skill; aptitude; facility; dexterity; -- often used
with for; as, a knack for playing the guitar.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
The fellow . . . has not the knack with his shears.
--B. Jonson.
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The dean was famous in his time,
And had a kind of knack at rhyme. --Swift.
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3. Something performed, or to be done, requiring aptness and
dexterity; a trick; a device. "The knacks of japers."
--Chaucer.
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For how should equal colors do the knack ! --Pope.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
knack
n 1: a special way of doing something; "he had a bent for it";
"he had a special knack for getting into trouble"; "he
couldn't get the hang of it" [syn: bent, knack, hang]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
47 Moby Thesaurus words for "knack":
ability, adroitness, aptitude, aptness, art, bauble, bent, bibelot,
bric-a-brac, capacity, command, dexterity, expertise, expertism,
expertness, facility, feel, flair, fribble, gaud, genius, gewgaw,
gift, gimcrack, hang, head, intuition, kickshaw, knickknack,
know-how, mastership, mastery, nose, proficiency, quickness,
readiness, set, skill, swing, talent, touch, toy, trick, trinket,
turn, way, whim-wham