knave

Everyday

1. (old) A dishonest man who tricks people; a rogue. tree →
2. (cards) The jack in a pack of playing cards, the card with a young man's picture, between the ten and the queen. tree →
3. (old) A boy or young male servant. tree →
4. In Alice in Wonderland, the Knave of Hearts is put on trial for stealing the Queen's tarts. tree →

In the lessons

Knave is an old word found in fairy tales, nursery rhymes and old books: «The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts… The Knave of Hearts, he stole the tarts». In card games, older people and British books may say knave for the jack. In stories it tells the reader that a character is not to be trusted. The trial of the Knave in Alice is very unfair — the King keeps wanting the verdict before the evidence.

Examples

• The Knave of Hearts was accused of stealing the tarts. tree →
• «You knave!» shouted the king in the old play. tree →
• In this card game, the knave is worth ten points. tree →
• The knave carried the King's crown on a velvet cushion. tree →
• The wicked knave tricked the farmer out of his cow. tree →
• Alice did not think there was any proof against the Knave. tree →
• Put the knave of spades on the queen of hearts. tree →
• 'Are you not a great knave?' tree →

Note

The k is silent: it sounds like «nave». Do not confuse with nave (the long middle part of a church). In cards, knave = jack (J). Old-fashioned word; today people say rogue or cheat.