knep

English

Alternative forms

• knepp, kneppe, knip, nep, nip

Etymology

A variant of knap (etymology 3).

cognates

• Danish kneppe (“to snap”) (obsolete)
• Dutch knijpen (“to pinch, nip”), knippen (“to clip, snip”)
• Norwegian Nynorsk kneppa (“to squeeze or join together”)
• Scots knep (“to clench, bind”)

Verb

knep (third-person singular simple present kneps, present participle knepping, simple past and past participle knepped)

1. (Northern England) To bite gently, nibble.
2. (Northern England, of animals) To graze, crop; (of horses) to bite in play.
3. (Northern England) To pick or pick off (e.g. flowers, berries, etc.)
4. (Scotland) To clasp the hands; to clench one's fists.
5. (Scotland) To tie or bundle something tightly and securely.

Noun

knep (plural kneps)

1. (Northern England, in the plural) Synonym of kneppars

Derived terms

• kneppars
• kneps

Danish

Verb

knep

1. imperative of kneppe

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Middle Low German knepe.

Noun

knep n (definite singular knepet, indefinite plural knep, definite plural knepa or knepene)

1. a trick

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• kneip

Verb

knep

1. simple past of knipe

References

• “knep” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Middle Low German knepe.

Noun

knep n (definite singular knepet, indefinite plural knep, definite plural knepa)

1. a trick

References

• “knep” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology

From Middle Low German knep. Cognate of Danish kneb. Compare also recent German Kniff. Related to the verb knipa (“squeeze”). Doublet of knip, knippe, and knippa.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

knep n

1. a trick (non-obvious, often clever way to accomplish something)

   ett knep för att öppna en flaska utan kapsylöppnare

   a trick to open a bottle without a bottle opener

   smarta knep för att spara tid i köket

   clever tricks/ways to save time in the kitchen

   ett knep för att locka kunder

   a trick to attract customers

   ett beprövat knep

   a tried and true trick

   fula knep

   dirty tricks

   1. a ploy, (in the plural) trickery

      Jag har fått nog av dina knep

      I've had enough of your trickery

      ett trick är ett knep för att försöka lura någon

      a trick is a ploy to try to fool someone

Usage notes

Not inherently deceptive-sounding, but also lends itself to such usage, similar to "tricks" in English.

Declension

Declension of knep

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	knep	kneps
	definite	knepet	knepets
plural	indefinite	knep	kneps
	definite	knepen	knepens

See also

• knåp
• spratt
• trick

Verb

knep

1. past indicative of knipa

References

• knep in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• knep in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• knep in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• knep in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
• knep in Reverso Context (Swedish-English)