near the knuckle

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word near the knuckle. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word near the knuckle, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say near the knuckle in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word near the knuckle you have here. The definition of the word near the knuckle will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofnear the knuckle, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Prepositional phrase

near the knuckle

  1. (British, informal) Risqué, sexual, suggestive of impropriety.
    • 1972, Nikolái Vasílievich Gógol, Diary of a Madman and Other Stories:
      So near the knuckle, I wonder they got past the censor.
    • 2006, Steve Moore, V for Vendetta:
      “But . . . Laser Lass is just . . . banging!”
      Stifling a giggle and deciding this must be some masculine epithet she hadn't come across before, Evey gave the handcart a shove and went on her way. After all, "banging" wasn't anything that was shown on TV these days, even if some of Gordon Deitrich's shows did get pretty near the knuckle sometimes.
    • 2005, Hilary Mantel, Beyond Black:
      It's raw, this kind of work, and near the knuckle: unsupported by music, lighting, video screen, it's just you and them, you and them and the dead, []