1. The character, dignity, or condition of a knight, or of knights as a class; hence, chivalry. "O shame to
knighthood." Shak.
If you needs must write, write Cæsar's praise;
You 'll gain at least a knighthood, or the bays.
Pope. 2. The whole body of knights.
The knighthood nowadays are nothing like the knighthood of old time.
Chapman. "When the order of knighthood was conferred with full solemnity in the leisure of a court or court or city,
imposing preliminary ceremonies were required of the candidate. He prepared himself by prayer and
fasting, watched his arms at night in a chapel, and was then admitted with the performance of religious
rites. Knighthood was conferred by the accolade, which, from the derivation of the name, would appear
to have been originally an embrace; but afterward consisted, as it still does, in a blow of the flat of a
sword on the back of the kneeling candidate." Brande & C.
Knightless
(Knight"less), a. Unbecoming a knight. [Obs.] "Knightless guile." Spenser.
Knightliness
(Knight"li*ness) n. The character or bearing suitable for a knight; chivalry. Spenser.
Knightly
(Knight`ly), a. [AS. cnihtlic boyish.] Of or pertaining to a knight; becoming a knight; chivalrous; as,
a knightly combat; a knightly spirit.
For knightly jousts and fierce encounters fit.
Spenser.
[Excuses] full knightly without scorn.
Tennyson. Knightly
(Knight"ly), adv. In a manner becoming a knight.
And why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms.
Shak. Knight marshal
(Knight" mar"shal) (Eng. Law) An officer in the household of the British sovereign, who
has cognizance of transgressions within the royal household and verge, and of contracts made there, a
member of the household being one of the parties. Wharton.
Knight service
(Knight" serv"ice) (Eng. Feud. Law) A tenure of lands held by knights on condition of
performing military service. See Chivalry, n., 4.
Knight Templar
(Knight" Tem"plar) ; pl. Knights Templars See Commandery, n., 3, and also Templar,
n., 1 and 3.
Knit
(Knit) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Knit or Knitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Knitting.] [OE. knitten, knutten, As.
cnyttan, fr. cnotta knot; akin to Icel. knta, Sw. knyta, Dan. knytte. See Knot.]
1. To form into a knot, or into knots; to tie together, as cord; to fasten by tying.
A great sheet knit at the four corners.
Acts x. 11.
When your head did but ache,
I knit my handkercher about your brows.
Shak. 2. To form, as a textile fabric, by the interlacing of yarn or thread in a series of connected loops, by
means of needles, either by hand or by machinery; as, to knit stockings.
3. To join; to cause to grow together.
Nature can not knit the bones while the parts are under a discharge.
Wiseman.
