See also: Knacker and knäcker

English edit

Etymology edit

From Old Norse hnak (saddle) (whence Icelandic hnakkur (saddle)), hur (horse) — the profession of saddlemaker.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

knacker (plural knackers)

  1. One who makes knickknacks, toys, etc.
  2. One of two or more pieces of bone or wood held loosely between the fingers, and struck together by moving the hand; a clapper.
  3. A harness maker.
    • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. [], 2nd edition, London: [] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock [], and J[onathan] Robinson [], published 1708, →OCLC:
      Plow-wright , Cart-wright, Knacker and Smith
  4. One who slaughters and (especially) renders worn-out livestock (especially horses) and sells their flesh, bones and hides.
  5. One who dismantles old ships, houses, etc. and sells their components.
  6. (Ireland, Britain, offensive) A member of the Travelling Community; a Gypsy.
  7. (Ireland, offensive, slang) A person of lower social class; a chav, skanger or scobe.
  8. (UK, slang, chiefly in the plural) A testicle.
    • 2013, Perry Gamsby, Never Be Unsaid, page 136:
      He looked like someone had put a 9mm full metal jacket round through his left scrotum. He even had his mouth open in some parody of a soundless scream, much as I imagined I would do if someone shot my left knacker off.
  9. An old, worn-out horse.
    • 2014, K. Bannerman, Mark of the Magpie, page 170:
      Believe me, you can get an old knacker for cheap at the glue yard, but it won't carry you as far as a thoroughbred!
  10. (UK, dialect, obsolete) A collier's horse.

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb edit

knacker (third-person singular simple present knackers, present participle knackering, simple past and past participle knackered)

  1. (UK, slang, transitive) To tire out, exhaust.
    Carrying that giant statue up those stairs completely knackered me.
  2. (UK, slang, transitive) To reprimand.

Translations edit