a dishonest man; rogue - another word for
jack 1 6 a male servant
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
knave /neɪv/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- an untrustworthy or dishonest person.
- Games(in cards) the jack.
knave
(nāv),USA pronunciation n.
- an unprincipled, untrustworthy, or dishonest person.
- Games[Cards.]jack1 (def. 2).
- [Archaic.]
- a male servant.
- a man of humble position.
- bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English cnafa; cognate with German Knabe boy; akin to Old Norse knapi page, boy
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged blackguard, villain, scamp, scapegrace. Knave, rascal, rogue, scoundrel are disparaging terms applied to persons considered base, dishonest, or worthless. Knave, which formerly meant merely a boy or servant, in modern use emphasizes baseness of nature and intention:a dishonest and swindling knave.Rascal suggests shrewdness and trickery in dishonesty:a plausible rascal.A rogue is a worthless fellow who sometimes preys extensively upon the community by fraud:photographs of criminals in a rogues' gallery.A scoundrel is a blackguard and rogue of the worst sort:a thorough scoundrel.Rascal and rogue are often used affectionately or humorously (an entertaining rascal; a saucy rogue), but knave and scoundrel are not.
- hero.
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