knavishadj.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Manciple's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 101 His wyf anon hath for hire lemman sent. Hir lemman, certes this a knauyssh speche. Forȝeueth it me.

?1515 Hyckescorner (de Worde) sig. A.vi That is a knauisshe syght to se them toter on a beme.

a1529 J. Skelton Colyn Cloute (?1545) sig. B.viii^v Howe They were wonte to drynke Of a lether botell With a knauysshe stoppell.

?1532 T. Paynell tr. Erasmus De Contemptu Mundi iv. sig. D.iii^v The knauishe and rebaude iestingis.

a1492 W. Caxton tr. Vitas Patrum (1495) i. cxl. f. clii^v/2 Knauysshe ypocryte. why amendest not thyselfe of thyne ypocrysie.

1531 G. Joye tr. Prophete Isaye xxxii. sig. H.iiij^v The knaue shal thinke knauyshe thinges and his harte shall properly convaye wykednes to playe the hipocryte and to conspyre abhominacion agenste y^e lorde.

1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Mii^v/1 Knauish, peruersus.

1603 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iii. ii. 229 It is a knauish peece a worke.

1655 Duchess of Newcastle Worlds Olio 45 Those that have..the bold brand of practising dishonesty, or knavish actions.

a1704 T. Brown Dialogue Oxf. Schollars in Wks. (1707) I. i. 10 Some..are Poor and cannot Pay, and others Knavish and will not Pay.

1781 W. Cowper Epist. to Lady in France in Poems (1980) I. 443 By Man to Man, or ev'n to Woman paid, Praise is the medium of a knavish trade.

1856 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. v. 405 It was a knavish piece of business.

a1859 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. (1861) V. 38 He had employed a knavish Jew to forge endorsement of names.

1916 W. G. Aston Hist. Japanese Lit. vi. ii. 251 Taking men in general, a glance at their faces shows that..some are honest-looking, others knavish.

1957 J. Bishop Day Christ Died (1959) 304 Any man who permitted himself to get into this position was either stupid or knavish.

1993 D. C. Reece Rich Broth vi. 44 He was in a mood of vinous venom against the West and its knavish tricks.

1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Knauishe, proteruus.

1574 J. Baret Aluearie K 78 A Knappish, or knauishe tongue, lingua proterua.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream ii. i. 33 That shrewde and knauish sprite, Call'd Robin goodfellow. View more context for this quotation

1603 T. Dekker et al. Patient Grissill sig. B4 You may be asham'd to lay such knauish burden vppon olde ages shoulders.

1691 W. Mountfort Greenwich-Park iv. ii. 42 Now and then the Knavish Wits at Wills Coffee-house will direct Letters for us as from Women.

1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 228 Two knavish wags came, and, ungirthing his saddle, supported it on either hand.

1823 J. Hogg Three Perils of Woman I. iii. 175 Sir, thou art a most knavish wag. A gentleman of a shrewd wit.

1893 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets (ed. 3) I. xi. 334 Every active brain, or curious eye, or wanton heart, or well-trained limb, or skilful hand, or knavish wit may find its fit employment here.

1929 E. Nungezer Dict. Actors 184 He had amused himself with playing knavish pranks on his tutor Ben Jonson.

2005 J. Weil Service & Dependency in Shakespeare's Plays ii. 24 To mock his opponents and disguise his rage, Hamlet behaves at moments like a particularly knavish young attendant.