What does knuckle mean?
Word: Knuckle
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Knuckle means one of the bony places where a finger bends, especially where the finger meets the hand.
How do you spell knuckle?
Syllables: knuck - le
Tricky part: The k at the start is silent, and the middle has ck, as in duck.
Watch out for: nuckle, knukle, nukkle
Memory tip: You knock on a door with your knuckles. Knock and knuckle both begin with a silent k and have ck straight after the vowel.
Idioms and Phrases
- knuckle down: to start working hard and seriously Example: "With exams a week away, Isla decided to knuckle down."
- a rap on the knuckles: a mild scolding Example: "The team got a rap on the knuckles for arriving late."
Knuckle in a sentence
Example 1: She cracked her knuckles before starting the piano piece.
Example 2: He rested his chin on his knuckles while he thought about the puzzle.
Example 3: The baker pressed her knuckles into the soft dough.
Fun Fact
Scientists think the popping sound when you crack your knuckles comes from a gas bubble forming in the fluid inside the joint.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) cubicle
b) knuckel
c) barnacle
d) spectacle
Show answer
b) knuckel. Knuckle ends in le, as spectacle, cubicle and barnacle do.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
luckken
a) kneecap
b) knuckled
c) knuckle
d) knocker
Show answer
c) knuckle. Knocker needs an o and an r, kneecap an a and a p, and knuckled has one letter too many, the d.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
knuckle
a) tendon
b) palm
c) joint
d) nail
Show answer
c) joint. A knuckle is a finger joint.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Hugo tapped his knuckles on the desk to the rythm of the song.
a) tapped
b) knuckles
c) rythm
d) desk
Show answer
c) rythm. Rhythm has an h after the r as well as after the t.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which action shows your knuckles most clearly?
a) wiggling your toes
b) making a fist
c) shrugging your shoulders
d) blinking your eyes
Show answer
b) making a fist
2. Which ride would people call a white-knuckle ride?
a) a quiet bus ride to school
b) a fast and thrilling roller coaster
c) a gentle pony ride for children
d) a slow boat ride on a lake
Show answer
b) a fast and thrilling roller coaster
