Source etymology 1
Original entry ↗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.
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.
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.
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
This page abbreviates 6 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
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"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."
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"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."
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