Hypertext Webster Gateway: "knack"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Knack \Knack\, v. i. [Prob. of imitative origin; cf. G. knacken
to break, Dan. knage to crack, and E. knock.]
1. To crack; to make a sharp, abrupt noise to chink. [Obs. or
Prov. Eng.] --Bp. Hall.

2. To speak affectedly. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Knack \Knack\, n.
1. A petty contrivance; a toy; a plaything; a knickknack.

A knack, a toy, a trick, a baby's cap. --Shak.

2. A readiness in performance; aptness at doing something;
skill; facility; dexterity.

The fellow . . . has not the knack with his shears.
--B. Jonson.

The dean was famous in his time, And had a kind of
knack at rhyme. --Swift.

3. Something performed, or to be done, requiring aptness and
dexterity; a trick; a device. ``The knacks of japers.''
--Chaucer.

For how should equal colors do the knack ! --Pope.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

knack
n : a special way of doing something; "he had a bent for it";
"he had a special knack for getting into trouble"; "he
couldn't get the hang of it" [syn: {bent}, {hang}]

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