---
title: knuckle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «knuckle» in the school dictionary: One of the joints of your fingers, especially where the fingers join the hand. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# knuckle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** fingers, you, He, She, Time, months · **What happens:** join, knuckle down, start, work, give in, obey · **To what, where:** hand, door, knuckles, homework, rollercoaster bar, rap · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«knuckle» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [knuckle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/knuckle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One of the joints of your fingers, especially where the fingers join the hand.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:m1:1
# text = One of the joints of your fingers, especially where the fingers join the hand.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	joints	joint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
10	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	13	advmod	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
13	join	join	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | present | the fingers | the hand |  |  |  | especially *property* | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A joint of meat from an animal's leg, as in pork knuckle.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:m2:1
# text = A joint of meat from an animal's leg, as in pork knuckle.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joint	joint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	leg	leg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	pork	pork	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	knuckle	knuckle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«knuckle down» — to start working hard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:m3:1
# text = «knuckle down» — to start working hard.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	knuckle	knuckle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	_
9	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knuckle down** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **start** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **work** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«knuckle under» — to give in and obey.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:m4:1
# text = «knuckle under» — to give in and obey.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	knuckle	knuckle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	under	under	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	obey	obey	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give in** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn acquiesce-95.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **obey** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He knocked on the door with his knuckles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x1:1
# text = He knocked on the door with his knuckles.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knocked	knock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knock** | past | He |  |  | the door |  | with his knuckles | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location with knuckle=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She grazed her knuckles on the wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x2:1
# text = She grazed her knuckles on the wall.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	grazed	graze	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **graze** | past | She | her knuckles |  |  |  | on the wall | vn touch-20-1 «NP V NP PP.theme PP.instrument»: agent=Agent knuckle=Experiencer on wall=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Time to knuckle down and do your homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x3:1
# text = Time to knuckle down and do your homework.
1	Time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	knuckle	knuckle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knuckle down** | to-infinitive | Time |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | infinitive | Time *not said here* | your homework |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent homework=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use your knuckles to remember which months have 31 days.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x4:1
# text = Use your knuckles to remember which months have 31 days.
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	remember	remember	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	7	det	_	_
7	months	month	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
9	31	31	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | your knuckles |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent knuckle=Patient |
| 2 | **remember** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | present | which months |  |  |  | day |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My knuckles went white as I held the rollercoaster bar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x5:1
# text = My knuckles went white as I held the rollercoaster bar.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	rollercoaster	rollercoaster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	bar	bar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | My knuckles |  |  |  |  | white *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | past | I | the rollercoaster bar |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bar=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He got a rap on the knuckles for being late.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:knuckle:x6:1
# text = He got a rap on the knuckles for being late.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rap	rap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	cop	_	_
10	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | He | a rap |  | the knuckles |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent rap=Theme on knuckle=Source |
| 2 | **is** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |

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**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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