The knighthood nowadays are nothing like the knighthood of old
time.
Chapman.
"When the order of knighthood was conferred with full solemnity in the
leisure of a court or court or city, imposing preliminary ceremonies
were required of the candidate. He prepared himself by prayer and
fasting, watched his arms at night in a chapel, and was then admitted
with the performance of religious rites. Knighthood was conferred by
the accolade, which, from the derivation of the name, would appear to
have been originally an embrace; but afterward consisted, as it still
does, in a blow of the flat of a sword on the back of the kneeling
candidate." Brande & C.
Knight"less, a. Unbecoming a knight. [Obs.] "Knightless guile."
Spenser.
Knight"li*ness (?), n. The character or bearing suitable for a knight;
chivalry. Spenser.
Knight`ly, a. [AS. cnihtlic boyish.] Of or pertaining to a knight;
becoming a knight; chivalrous; as, a knightly combat; a knightly
spirit.
For knightly jousts and fierce encounters fit.
Spenser.
[Excuses] full knightly without scorn.
Tennyson.
Knight"ly, adv. In a manner becoming a knight.
And why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms.
Shak.
Knight" mar"shal (?). (Eng. Law) An officer in the household of the
British sovereign, who has cognizance of transgressions within the
royal household and verge, and of contracts made there, a member of the
household being one of the parties. Wharton.
Knight" serv"ice (?). (Eng. Feud. Law) A tenure of lands held by
knights on condition of performing military service. See Chivalry, n.,
4.
Knight" Tem"plar (?); pl. Knights Templars (&?;). See Commandery, n.,
3, and also Templar, n., 1 and 3.
Knit (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Knit or Knitted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Knitting.] [OE. knitten, knutten, As. cnyttan, fr. cnotta knot; akin to
Icel. kn&?;ta, Sw. knyta, Dan. knytte. See Knot.] 1. To form into a
knot, or into knots; to tie together, as cord; to fasten by tying.
A great sheet knit at the four corners.
Acts x. 11.
When your head did but ache, I knit my handkercher about your
brows.
Shak.
2. To form, as a textile fabric, by the interlacing of yarn or thread
in a series of connected loops, by means of needles, either by hand or
by machinery; as, to knit stockings.