kneecap
/ˈniːkæp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈniːkæp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnē-ˌkap/ (ame, mw) · /ˈniː.kæp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈniː.kæp/ (ame, ipa)
kneecap — noun
- kneecapsingular
- kneecapsplural
1. the small round bone sitting on the front of your knee, which guards the joint u
the small round bone sitting on the front of your knee, which guards the joint underneath whenever you bend or kneel down.
Yuki bruised her kneecap when she slipped on the wet tiles.
common collocation: bruise / hurt one's kneecap
The doctor pressed gently on Kabir's kneecap to check for a fracture.
medical-exam context: press / tap the kneecap
Beatrix landed hard on the gravel and tore the skin above her kneecap.
Mauricio wears thick pads to protect his kneecaps while skateboarding.
After years of running, Salma had a small piece of her kneecap removed.
- patella
medical / anatomical register; same bone but used in clinical contexts
文法句型
the kneecap of [person/animal]
用法筆記
Anatomically the same bone as 'patella', but 'kneecap' is the everyday word; 'patella' belongs to medical or sports-injury reports.
常見錯誤
kneecap — verb
- kneecappresent simple I / you / we / they
- kneecaps3rd person singular
- kneecaping-ing form
- kneecapedpast simple
1. to wound someone deliberately in the knee, usually by firing a gun, as a violent
to wound someone deliberately in the knee, usually by firing a gun, as a violent warning or form of punishment carried out by armed groups.
Paramilitary gangs threatened to kneecap Sivan if he testified in court.
typical agent: paramilitary / armed group
Two informants were kneecapped in a quiet alley behind the warehouse.
passive: be kneecapped
During the conflict, militants kneecapped suspected collaborators as a public warning.
Jabari survived after being kneecapped but needed three operations to walk again.
The journalist documented how local gangs would kneecap shopkeepers who refused to pay.
文法句型
kneecap + [person]
be kneecapped by [group]
用法筆記
Object is a person; subject is usually an armed group, gang, or paramilitary organisation. Frequently passive when the victim is the topic.