Volume 1
A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed, a history of the language, and an English grammar / by Samuel Johnson.
- Samuel Johnson
- Date:
- 1755
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of the English language: in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the best writers. To which are prefixed, a history of the language, and an English grammar / by Samuel Johnson. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![As a thrifty wench fcrapes kitchen fluffs And barreling the droppings and the fnufF Of wafting candles, which in thirty year, Reliquelv kept, perchance buys wedding cheer, Donne. Inftead of kitchenjluff fome cry A gofpel preaching miniftry. Hudibras. Ki'tchenwench. n.J. [kitchen and wench.] Scullion; maid employed to clean the inftruments of cookery. Laura to his lady was but a kitchenwencb. Shakefpeare. Roafting and boiling leave to the kitchenwencb. Sivift. Ki'tchen work, n.f [kitchen and work.] Cookery; work done in the kitchen. Kite. n.f. [eyea, Saxon.] 1. A bird of prey that infefts the farms, and fteals the chickens. Ravenous crows and kites Fly o’er our heads. Shakefpeare’s Julius Ccefar. More pity that the eagle fliould be mew’d, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Shakef. R. III. The heron, when fhe foareth high, fo as fometimes fhe is feen to pafs over a cloud, fheweth winds; but kites, flying aloft, fliew fair and dry weather. Bacon. A leopard and a cat feem to differ juft as a kite doth from an eagle. Grew. 2. A name of reproach denoting rapacity. iDetefted kite! thou lieft. • Shakef. King Lear. 3. A fi<5fitious bird made of paper. A man may have a great eftate conveyed to him ; but if he will madly burn, or childifhly make paper kites of his deeds* he forfeits his title with his evidence. Gov. of the Tongue. Ki' tesfoot. n.f A plant. Ainjwortb. K i'tten. n.f. [katteken, Dutch.] A young cat. That a mare will fooner drown than an horfe is not expe¬ rienced, nor is the fame obferved in the drowning of whelps and kittens. Brown's Vulg. Err. It was fcratched in playing with a kitten. IVfan an. Helen was juft flipt into bed; Her eyebrows on the toilet lay. Away the kitten with them fled, As fees belonging to her prey. Prior. To Kitten v. n. [from the noun.] To bring forth young cats. So it would have done At the fame feafon, if your mother’s cat Had kitten d, though yourfelf had ne’er been born. Shakefp. The eagle timbered upon the top of a high oak, and the cat kittened in the hollow trunk of it. L'Ejlrange. To Klick. v.h. [from clack.] 1. To make a fmall fharp noife. 2. In Scotland it denotes to pilfer or fteal away fuddenly with a fn atch. To Knab. v.a. [knappen, Dutch; knaap, Erfe.] To bite. Perhaps properly to bite fomething brittle, that makes a noife when it is broken ; io as that knab and knap may be the fame. I had much rather lie knobbing crufts, without fear, in my own hole, than be miftrefs of the world with cares L'Ejlran. An afs was wifhing, in a hard Winter, for a little warm weather, and a mouthful of frefh grafs to knab upon. L’E/ir. k;nack. n.f. [,cnec, Welfh, fly knavery ; cnayunge, {kill, Sax.] 1. A little machine; a petty contrivance ; a toy. When I was young, I was wont To load my fhe with knacks : I would have ranfack’d The pedlar’s ftiken treafury, and have pour’d it To her acceptance, Shakefp. Winter's Talc. For thee, fond boy, If I may ever know thou do’ft but flgh That thou no more fhalt fee this knack, as never I mean thou fhalt, we’ll bar thee from fuccefs. Shakefp. This cap was moulded on a porringer, A velvet difh ; fie, fie, ’tis lewd and filthy: Why ’tis a cockle, or a walnut fhell, A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby’s cap. Shakefpeare. But is’t not prefumption to write verfe to you, Who make the better poems of the two ? For all thefe pretty knacks that you compofe, Alas, what are they but poems in profe ! Denham. He expounded both his pockets, And found a watch, with rings and lockets; A copper-plate, with almanacks Engrav’d upon’t, with other knacks. Hudibras. 2. Areadinefs; an habitual facility .; a lucky dexterity. I’ll teach you the knacks Of eating of flax, And out of their nofes Draw ribbands and pofies. Ben. Johnfon's Gypfies. The knack of faft and loofe paffes with foolifh people for a turn of wit; but they are not aware all this while of the de- fperate confequences of an ill habit. L'Ejlrange. There is a certain knack in the art of converfation that gives a good grace to many things, by the manner and addrefs of handling them. L Ejlrange. Knaves, who in full afiemblies have the knack Of turning truth to lies, and white to black. Dryden. My author has a great knack at remarks: in the end he makes another, about our refining in controverfy, and coming nearer and nearer to the church of Rome. Atterbury. The dean was famous in his time. And had a kind of knack at rhime. Swift. 3. A nice trick. ., For how fliould equal colours do the knack? Cameleons who can paint in white and black ? Pope. To Knack, v.n. [from the noun.] To make a fharp quick noife, as when a flick breaks. Kna'ckf.r. n.f [from knack.] i. A maker of fmall work. One part for plow-wright, Cartwright, knacker, and fmith. Mortimer s husbandry. 7. A ropemaker. [Rejlio, Latin ] Ainjwortb. Knag. n.f. [knag, a wart, Danifh. It is retain’d in Scotland.] A hard knot in wood. Kna'cgy. adj. [from knag.] Knotty ; fet with hard rough knots. Knap. n.f. [cnap, Welfh, a protuberance, or a broken piece; cnaep, Saxon, a protuberance.] A protuberance ; a fwclling prominence. You fhall fee many fine feats fet upon a knap of ground, en¬ vironed with higher hills round about it, whereby the heat of the fun is pent in, and the wind gathereth as in troughs. Bacon. To Knap. v.a. [knappen, Dutch.] 1. To bite; to break fliort. He knappeth the fpear in funder. Common Prayer. He will knap the fpears a-pieces with his teeth. Adore. 2. [Knaap, Erfe ] To ftrike fo as to make a fharp noife like that of breaking. Knap a pair of tongs fome depth in a veffel of water, and you fhall hear the found of the tongs. Bacon s Natural Hijl. To Knap. v.n. To make a fliort fharp noife. 1 reduced fhoulders fo foon, that the ftanders-by heard them knap in before they knew they were out. Wifemans Surgery. To Kna'pple. v.n. [from knap.] To break off with a fharp quick noife. Ainfworth. Kna'psack. n.f [from knappen, to eat.] The bag which a foldier carries on his back; a bag of provifions. The conftitutions of this church fhall not be repealed, ’till I fee more religious motives than foldiers carry in their knap- facks. King Charles. If you are for a merry jaunt, I’ll try for once who can foot it fartheft : there are hedges in Summer, and barns in Winter to be found: I with my kna Jack, and you with your bottle at your back: we’ll leave honour to madmen, and riches to knaves, and travel ’till we come to the ridge of the world. Dryden’s Span jh Fryar. Kna'pweed. n.f. [jacea, Latin.] This is one of the headed plants deftitute of fpines : the cup is fquamofe ; the borders of the leaves are equal, being neither ferrated nor indented : the florets round the border of the head are barren ; hut thofe placed in the center are fuc- ceeded each by one feed, having a down adhering to it. There are fifty fpecies of this plant, thirteen of which grow wild in England, and the reft are exoticks. Miller. KnAre. n.J. [knor, German.] A hard knot. A cake of feurf lies baking on the ground. And prickly flubs inftead of trees are found ; Or woods with knots and knares deform’d and old, Headlefs the moft, and hideous to behold. Dryden. KNAVE, n.f. [cnapa, Saxon.] 1. A boy ; a male child. 2. A fervant. Both thefe are obfolete. For as the moon the eye ..‘oth pleafe With gentle beams not hurting fight. Yet hath fir fun the greater praife, Becaufe from him doth come her light; So if my man muft praifes have, What then muft I that keep the knave ? Sidney. He eats and drinks with his domeftick flaves; A verier hind than any of his knaves. Dryden. 3. A petty rafeal; a fcoundrel; a difhoneft: fellow. Moft men rather brook their being reputed knaves, than for their honefty be accounted fools; knave, in the mean time, paffing for a name of credit. South's Sermons. When both plaintiff and defendant happen to be crafty knaves, there’s equity againft both. L’Ejlrange. An honeft man may take a knave’s advice; But idiots only may be cozen’d twice. Dryden. See all our fools afpiring to be knaves. Pope. 4. A card with a foldier painted on it. For ’twill return, and turn t’ account, If we are brought in play upon’t, Or but by cafting knaves get in, What pow’r can hinder us to win ? Hudibras. Kna'very. n.f. [from knave ] 1. Difhonefty; tricks; petty villainy. Here’s no knavery ! See, to beguile the old folks, how the young folks lay their heads together. Shakefpeare. If I thought it were not a piece of honefty to acquaint the king withal, I would do’t; I hgld it the more knavery to con¬ ceal it. Shakefp. Winter's Tale. 13 A - Here’s](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30451541_0001_1164.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
