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Squire vs Knave - What's the difference?

squire | knave |

As nouns the difference between squire and knave

is that squire is a shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight or squire can be (obsolete) a ruler; a carpenter's square; a measure while knave is (archaic) a boy; especially, a boy servant.

As a verb squire

is to attend as a squire.

squire

English

(wikipedia squire)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.
  • A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See esquire.
  • A male attendant on a great personage.
  • A devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau.
  • (UK, colloquial)

    • Verb

    (squir)
  • To attend as a squire
    • (Chaucer)
  • To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection
    • to squire a lady
    (Goldsmith)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) See square.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A ruler; a carpenter's square; a measure.
  • * 1598 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene)
    • But temperaunce, said he, with golden squire , / Betwixt them both can measure out a meane.
  • * 1598 , (William Shakespeare), (w, Love's Labour's Lost) , V, 2, 474.
    • do not you know my lady's foot by the squire .
  • *
    • as for a workman not to know his axe, saw, squire , or any other toole, […].
  • * 1628 , (William Shakespeare), (w, The Winter's Tale) , IV, 4, 348.
    • twelve foot and a half by the squire .

    Anagrams

    * *

    knave

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A boy; especially, a boy servant.
  • (archaic) Any male servant; a menial.
  • A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person; a rogue; a villain.
  • *
  • *:I had never defrauded a man of a farthing, nor called him knave behind his back. But now the last rag that covered my nakedness had been torn from me. I was branded a blackleg, card-sharper, and murderer.
  • *1977 , (Geoffrey Chaucer), (The Canterbury Tales) , Penguin Classics, p. 204:
  • *:God's bones! Whenever I go to beat those knaves / my tapsters, out she [my wife] comes with clubs and staves, / "Go on!" she screams — and its a caterwaul — / "You kill those dogs! Break back and bones and all!"
  • (cards) A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * knavery * knavish