knape Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 1 cnapa, 2–3 cnape, 3–6 (8 dial.) knape, 6 Sc. knaip, 7 (9 dial.) knap.
[OE. cnapa = OFris. knapa, ODu. knapo (MDu. knape, Du. knaap), MLG. (hence MHG.) knape, ON. knapi (ODa. and OSw. knape):—OTeut. *knapon-. The ulterior etym. and relation to OE. cnafa, knave, are uncertain: see note to knave.]
† 1. A male child, a boy (= knave n. 1); a lad, young man, youth, fellow. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxi. 19 Heo of þam sealde þam cnapan drincan. c 1200 Ormin 4106 To clippenn swa þe cnapess shapp. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2573 Ðe knapes to deade giuen, And leten ðe mayden childre liuen. c 1300 Arth. & Merl. 7821 Ac right now a litel knape To Bedingham com with iape. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2136 Þaȝe he be a sturn knape. |
† 2. A man-servant, male attendant, ‘man’: = knave n. 2. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Gen. xxii. 19 Abraham þa ᵹecyrde sona to hys cnapum. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. viii. 6 Min cnapa lið on minum huse lama. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 477 His knape wende it were a der. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 321 This cherles knape Hath lad this maiden ther he wolde. 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 125, I dar nought keik to the knaip that the cop fillis. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. ii. 87 The byssy knaipis and verlettis of his stabill. |
b. dial. A thatcher's requisite. (See quots.)
| 1764 Burn Poor Laws 127 The thatchers to this day have an instrument that holds their straw, which they call a knape. 1895 East Anglia Gloss., Knape or Knave, the frame which contains the straw which is carried up the ladder to the thatcher. |
3. As term of contempt or reprobation (also jocularly): A rascal, rogue, knave: = knave n. 3. Obs. exc. dial.
| a 1450 Lydg. Merita Missæ 190 Prowde knapys, That make in holy chyrche Iapis. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. ix. 77 Turnus..Thus dyd hym chyde: O cative rakles knaip. a 1553 Udall Royster D. v. vi. (Arb.) 88 Good night Roger olde knaue, knaue, knap. 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., A Knap, a person not strictly honest. .. ‘A regular knap’. |
4. attrib., as † knape child (= knave-child).
| c 1200 Ormin 7903 Forr cnapechild is afledd wel Affterr weppmanne kind. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2585 Euerilc knape child of ðat kin, ben a-non don ðe flod wið-in. |