knuckle
knuckle — noun
- knucklesingular
- knucklesplural
1. One of the rounded joints in a finger, especially where the finger connects to t
One of the rounded joints in a finger, especially where the finger connects to the hand and forms a bump when you close your fist.
Wei cracked the knuckles on his right hand before sitting down at the piano.
collocation: crack one's knuckles
The boxer's knuckles were swollen and bruised after twelve rounds of fighting.
Mina rapped her knuckles on the wooden door and waited for an answer.
Omar grazed his knuckles against the stone wall while carrying the heavy box.
A cold pack helped reduce the swelling around Dr. Park's knuckles after the fall.
- joint
more general — 'knuckle' is a specific type of joint at the finger base
- finger joint
more anatomical — 'knuckle' is the everyday word for the visible bump
文法句型
the knuckles of [possessive] hand
crack/pop one's knuckles
用法筆記
Often used in the plural (knuckles) when talking about all the finger joints together. 'Cracking one's knuckles' refers to pulling the finger joints to produce a popping sound — a common habit that is harmless despite old folk warnings.
常見錯誤
2. A cut of meat from the lower leg joint of an animal, most often a pig, containin
A cut of meat from the lower leg joint of an animal, most often a pig, containing the joint bone and the flesh around it, usually cooked slowly.
Amara seasoned the pork knuckle with salt and garlic before putting it in the oven.
collocation: pork knuckle + season/roast
The German restaurant serves roasted knuckle of pork with sauerkraut and potatoes.
pattern: roasted knuckle of [animal]
Diego picked up a ham knuckle from the butcher to make a hearty winter soup.
The Watanabe family slow-cooked the knuckle until the meat fell off the bone.
文法句型
pork/veal/lamb knuckle
knuckle of [animal]
用法筆記
In many cuisines, pork knuckle is the most common variety — popular dishes include German Schweinshaxe (roasted) and Chinese 滷豬膝 (braised). When no animal is named, 'knuckle' on a menu usually means pork knuckle.
常見錯誤
knuckle — verb
- knucklepresent simple I / you / we / they
- knuckles3rd person singular
- knuckling-ing form
- knuckledpast simple
1. To press, rub, or apply pressure to something using the prominent joints of the
To press, rub, or apply pressure to something using the prominent joints of the fingers, often to relieve tension in a muscle or to work dough.
Kwame knuckled his tired eyes after staring at the computer screen all day.
collocation: knuckle one's eyes
The massage therapist knuckled the tight spots along Ananya's shoulders for several minutes.
pattern: knuckle + area/body part + for [duration]
Chloe knuckled the bread dough firmly on the floured countertop until it was smooth.
Arjun knuckled the sore muscle on his calf and felt the knot slowly loosen up.
文法句型
knuckle + object (body part or surface)
用法筆記
Considerably less frequent today than alternatives such as 'massage' or 'knead.' Most common in three contexts: kneading dough with the knuckles, applying deep-pressure massage to muscles, and rubbing one's own eyes when tired (e.g., 'He knuckled his eyes').
2. In the game of marbles, to place one's knuckles on the ground as a legal shootin
In the game of marbles, to place one's knuckles on the ground as a legal shooting position, keeping the hand still while flicking the marble toward a target.
Ben knuckled down on the dusty playground and took careful aim at the red marble.
pattern: knuckle down + on + surface + take aim
Tran showed the younger children how to knuckle down properly before flicking the marble.
The rules say each player must knuckle down with one hand on the ground.
Elena knuckled down, closed one eye, and shot her favourite blue marble across the circle.
文法句型
knuckle down (on [surface])
用法筆記
Restricted to the traditional children's game of marbles — rarely encountered outside that context. The far more common phrasal verb 'knuckle down' means 'to start working seriously' (e.g., 'She knuckled down to study') and has a different historical origin entirely, so learners should not confuse the two.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He knuckled down to finish his homework.' (when explaining the marble-game sense) — This sentence uses the much more common meaning of 'knuckle down' = 'start working hard.' To keep the marble meaning clear, include the ground or the marble in context.