9. The point on which the action of a story depends; the gist of a matter. [Obs.]
I shoulde to the knotte condescend,
And maken of her walking soon an end.
Chaucer. 10. (Mech.) See Node.
11. (Naut.) (a) A division of the log line, serving to measure the rate of the vessel's motion. Each
knot on the line bears the same proportion to a mile that thirty seconds do to an hour. The number of
knots which run off from the reel in half a minute, therefore, shows the number of miles the vessel sails
in an hour. Hence: (b) A nautical mile, or 6080.27 feet; as, when a ship goes eight miles an hour, her
speed is said to be eight knots.
12. A kind of epaulet. See Shoulder knot.
13. (Zoöl.) A sandpiper found in the northern parts of all the continents, in summer. It is grayish or ashy
above, with the rump and upper tail coverts white, barred with dusky. The lower parts are pale brown,
with the flanks and under tail coverts white. When fat it is prized by epicures. Called also dunne.
The name is said to be derived from King Canute, this bird being a favorite article of food with him.
The knot that called was Canutus' bird of old,
Of that great king of Danes his name that still doth hold,
His
appetite to please that far and near was sought.
Drayton. Knot
(Knot), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Knotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Knotting.]
1. To tie in or with, or form into, a knot or knots; to form a knot on, as a rope; to entangle. "Knotted curls."
Drayton.
As tight as I could knot the noose.
Tennyson. 2. To unite closely; to knit together. Bacon.
3. To entangle or perplex; to puzzle. [Obs. or R.]
Knot
(Knot), v. i.
1. To form knots or joints, as in a cord, a plant, etc.; to become entangled.
Cut hay when it begins to knot.
Mortimer. 2. To knit knots for fringe or trimming.
3. To copulate; — said of toads. [R.] Shak.
Knotberry
(Knot"ber`ry) n. (Bot.) The cloudberry (Rudus Chamæmorus); — so called from its knotted
stems.
Knotgrass
(Knot"grass`) n. (Bot.) (a) a common weed with jointed stems (Polygonum aviculare); knotweed.
(b) The dog grass. See under Dog.
An infusion of Polygonum aviculare was once supposed to have the effect of stopping the growth of an
animal, and hence it was called, as by Shakespeare, "hindering knotgrass."
We want a boy extremely for this function,
Kept under for a year with milk and knotgrass.
Beau. & Fl. Knotless
(Knot"less), a. Free from knots; without knots. "Silver firs with knotless trunks." Congreve.
