knap.
To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap.
Meaning & usage
To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap.
To break (something) into small pieces with a cracking sound; to fragment, to smash; also, to break (something) apart sharply; to snap. To break away flakes from (a brittle material which fractures conchoidally (“with planar concentric curves”), usually a mineral such as chert, flint, or obsidian), often to form a tool with a sharp edge or point.
To strike (something) sharply; to knock, to rap.
Followed by off: to break (something) away from another thing by striking or tapping sharply.
To say (something) crisply or sharply.
To break or fracture suddenly; to snap.
To make a cracking or snapping sound; to crack, to snap.
To strike sharply.
To speak crisply or sharply.
To cheat while gambling, especially at a dice game.
Where this word comes from
The verb is derived from Late Middle English knappen (“to strike (something)”); further etymology uncertain, probably related to Middle Dutch knappen, cnappen (“to break (something) with a sharp sound, snap; to crack or crackle”) (modern Dutch knappen), probably ultimately onomatopoeic. The noun is derived from Late Middle English knap, knappe (“sharp blow, strike”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from the verb (see above), or related to an ancestor of Danish knep and Swedish knäpp (“a flick, rap, snap”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
A sudden, sharp blow, knock, or slap; a rap, a whack.
The sound made by such a blow, knock, or slap.
Synonym of chattering damsel (“a component of a traditional mill which creates a vibratory motion to impel portions of grain toward the millstone; a clapper”).
A method of cheating at a dice game.
Where this word comes from
The verb is derived from Late Middle English knappen (“to strike (something)”); further etymology uncertain, probably related to Middle Dutch knappen, cnappen (“to break (something) with a sharp sound, snap; to crack or crackle”) (modern Dutch knappen), probably ultimately onomatopoeic. The noun is derived from Late Middle English knap, knappe (“sharp blow, strike”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from the verb (see above), or related to an ancestor of Danish knep and Swedish knäpp (“a flick, rap, snap”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic.
A piece of raised ground or a short, steep slope; a small hill; a hillock, a knoll.
The crest or top of a hill.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English knap, knappe (“small projection, knob (button, tassel, tuft, etc.); hill; hilltop; etc.”), from Old English cnæp, cnæpp (“summit, top”); further etymology uncertain, possibly related to Old Norse knappr (“small projection, knob (button, head of a stick, etc.)”) (whence English knop), from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knuppô.
To take a small, quick bite at or of (someone or something); to nibble, to nip, to snap.
To take a small, quick bite.
Where this word comes from
Origin uncertain; possibly: * from Middle English *kneppen (compare Middle English knippette (“pincers for cracking nuts”)), from Old Norse kneppa (“to pinch, press, squeeze; to button, clasp; to hug”), from Proto-Germanic *knappijaną (“to clamp; to squeeze”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnebʰ- (“to constrict, tighten; to press”); * related to knap (etymology 1); or * imitative of a mouth snapping shut; compare gnap (“to snap at”) (obsolete except Scotland), nab (“to bite gently, nibble”) (obsolete except Southern and Western England).
Obsolete spelling of nap (“to arrest (someone); to grab or nab (someone or something); to steal (something); (obsolete) to receive (severe punishment), especially during a boxing match or a flogging; (generally) to receive (something)”).
Where this word comes from
See nap (etymology 5).
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.