What is "knave"

Knave \Knave\ (n[=a]v), n. [OE., boy, servant, knave, AS. cnafa boy, youth; cf. AS. cnapa boy, youth, D. knaap, G. knabe boy, knappe esquire, Icel. knapi, Sw. knape esquire, kn["a]fvel knave.]

1. A boy; especially, a boy servant. [Obs.]
   --Wyclif. Chaucer.

   O murderous slumber, Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy That plays thee music ? Gentle knave, good night.
   --Shak.

2. Any male servant; a menial. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

   He's but Fortune's knave, A minister of her will.
   --Shak.

3. A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person; a rogue; a villain. ``A pair of crafty knaves.''
   --Shak.

   In defiance of demonstration, knaves will continue to proselyte fools.
   --Ames.

   Note: ``How many serving lads must have been unfaithful and dishonest before knave -- which meant at first no more than boy -- acquired the meaning which it has now !''
   --Trench.

4. A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack; as, the knave of hearts.

   Knave child, a male child. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

   Syn: Villain; cheat; rascal; rogue; scoundrel; miscreant.

Old English cnafa "boy, male servant," common Germanic (cognates: Old High German knabo "boy, youth, servant," German knabe "boy, lad," also probably related to Old English cnapa "boy, youth, servant," Old Norse knapi "servant boy," Dutch knaap "a youth, servant," Middle High German knappe "a young squire," German Knappe "squire, shield-bearer"). The original meaning might have been "stick, piece of wood" [Klein]. Sense of "rogue, rascal" first recorded c.1200. In playing cards, "the jack," 1560s.

n. 1 (context archaic English) A boy; especially, a boy servant. 2 (context archaic English) Any male servant; a menial. 3 A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person; a rogue; a villain. 4 (context cards English) A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

1. n. a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel [syn: rogue, rascal, rapscallion, scalawag, scallywag, varlet]

2. one of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a young prince [syn: jack]

Knave may refer to:

• A male domestic worker
• A rogue, a rascal; deceitful fellow; a dishonest man
• Another name for Jack (playing card)
• Knave (magazine), a British adult magazine
• In Knights and Knaves logic puzzles, a person who always lies

Knave magazine is a long-established British pornographic magazine, published by Galaxy Publications. It is the upmarket sister publication of Fiesta magazine.

Along with many other adult magazines, Knave has published the works of popular authors, including Harlan Ellison. Ellison's short story "The Pied Piper of Sex" was first published in the March 1959 issue under the name Paul Merchant, whilst "The Man with the Green Nose", also known as "Survivor No. 1", and co-written with Henry Slesar, first appeared in the September 1959 issue. Other people to have been published at Knave include Kim Newman, Dave Langford, and Neil Gaiman. Gaiman's early short stories, including " We Can Get Them For You Wholesale", were published within the magazine; he also worked at the magazine in many roles, including celebrity interviewer and book reviewer. Gaiman began work at the magazine in 1984 but left in the late 80s because an editorial change resulted in the magazine concentrating more heavily on pornographic content.

Eric Fuller, credited by The Guardian as "the man behind the success of Dennis Publishing's lad-mag, Maxim", also worked for the magazine for a time.