noun
knave
nayv
noun
1
A dishonest or deceitful man.
"The play's villain is a scheming knave who betrays his own brother."
2
A playing card ranked below a queen, showing the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.
"He needed the knave of hearts to complete his hand."
How to Use Knave
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned word for a dishonest, scheming man — or, in cards, another name for the jack.
When to use it
Sounds archaic or literary in modern English outside of card games.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
knaves plural
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The play's villain is a scheming _____ who betrays his own brother.
Etymology
From Old English cnafa, originally just meaning "boy" or "male servant." Over the centuries the word's meaning darkened from a harmless term for a young servant into one for a dishonest, untrustworthy man.