2. Mischievous; roguish; waggish; rascally.
[1913 Webster]
Cupid is knavish lad, Thus to make poor females mad. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
knavish — index artful, deceptive, disreputable, false (disloyal), immoral, iniquitous, lawless, machiavellian … Law dictionary
knavish — (adj.) late 14c., from KNAVE (Cf. knave) + ISH (Cf. ish). Related: Knavishly; knavishness … Etymology dictionary
knavish — [nāv′ish] adj. like or characteristic of a knave; esp., dishonest; tricky knavishly adv. knavishness n … English World dictionary
knavish — knave ► NOUN 1) archaic a dishonest or unscrupulous man. 2) (in cards) a jack. DERIVATIVES knavery noun knavish adjective. ORIGIN Old English, «boy, servant» … English terms dictionary
knavish — adjective Date: 14th century of, relating to, or characteristic of a knave; especially dishonest • knavishly adverb … New Collegiate Dictionary
knavish — knavishly, adv. knavishness, n. /nay vish/, adj. 1. like or befitting a knave; untrustworthy; dishonest. 2. Archaic. waggish; roguish; mischievous. [1350 1400; ME knavyssh. See KNAVE, ISH1] * * * … Universalium
knavish — adjective Having the characteristics of a knave; mischievous, roguish, waggish, rascally or impertinent … Wiktionary
knavish — Synonyms and related words: abominable, arch, arrant, atrocious, bad, base, black, blackguardly, blamable, blameworthy, criminal, damnable, dark, deceitful, degraded, devilish, disgraceful, elfish, elvish, evil, execrable, flagitious, flagrant,… … Moby Thesaurus
knavish — (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. felonious, fraudulent, conniving, untrustworthy; see dishonest 1 , 2 … English dictionary for students
knavish — knav·ish || neɪvɪʃ adj. villainous, dishonest, deceitful; mischievous (Archaic) … English contemporary dictionary
