knight /nīt/

1. A man who has been awarded the rank immediately below baronet, with the title ‘Sir’
2. In the Middle Ages, a man who performed mounted military service for his lord in exchange for land
3. In feudal times, a gentleman, bred to arms, admitted to a certain honourable military rank
4. A man devoted to the service of a lady, her champion
5. A member of the equestrian order in ancient Rome
6. In chess, any of four pieces, two on each side, usu shaped like a horse's head, that can move one square forward, backward, or to either side, and one diagonally
7. Formerly used in jocular titles of various professions, as in knight of the shears a tailor, and knight of the whip a coachman

To make a knight

knightˈage noun

Knights collectively

knightˈhood noun

1. The rank, title or status of knight
2. The order or fraternity of knights

knightˈless adjective (Spenser)

Unbecoming to a knight

knightˈliness noun

knightˈly adjective

1. Like a knight
2. Befitting a knight
3. Chivalrous
4. Of a knight or knights

In the manner of a knight

knight bachelor noun (pl knights bachelors or knights bachelor)

A knight belonging to no special order of knighthood (the lowest form of knight in rank and earliest in origin)

knight banneret noun (pl knights bannerets)

A knight who carried a banner and who was superior in rank to the knight bachelor

knight errant noun (pl knights errant)

1. A knight who travelled in search of adventures
2. A man or boy who behaves adventurously or chivalrously

knight errantry noun

knighthood-errˈant noun (Tennyson)

The body of knights errant

knight marshal noun

Formerly an officer who had jurisdiction over offences within twelve miles of the monarch's abode

Knight of St John or Knight of Malta noun

A hospitaller (qv under hospital)

knight of the road noun (facetious)

1. A highwayman (obsolete)
2. A commercial traveller
3. A lorry driver
4. A tramp

knight of the shire noun

A member of parliament for a county district

knight service noun

Tenure of land by a knight on condition of military service

knight's fee noun

A holding of land for which knight service was required

Knights of Labor plural noun (US)

A secret 19c organization for workers

knight's progress noun

In chess, a series of moves in which a knight may visit every square on the board

Knights Templar see Templar

• compeer
• compeered
• compeering
• compeers
• compel
• compellable
• compellation
• compellations
• compellative
• compellatives
• compelled
• compeller
• compellers
• compelling
• compellingly
• compels
• compend
• compendia
• compendious
• compendiously
• compendiousness
• compendiousnesses
• compendium
• compendiums
• compensable