Knights of labor

Knights of labor
Knight Knight, n. [OE. knight, cniht, knight, soldier, AS. cniht, cneoht, a boy, youth, attendant, military follower; akin to D. & G. knecht servant; perh. akin to E. kin.] 1. A young servant or follower; a military attendant. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

2. (a) In feudal times, a man-at-arms serving on horseback and admitted to a certain military rank with special ceremonies, including an oath to protect the distressed, maintain the right, and live a stainless life. (b) One on whom knighthood, a dignity next below that of baronet, is conferred by the sovereign, entitling him to be addressed as Sir; as, Sir John. [Eng.] Hence: (c) A champion; a partisan; a lover. ``Give this ring to my true knight.'' Shak ``In all your quarrels will I be your knight.'' --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

Knights, by their oaths, should right poor ladies' harms. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Note: Formerly, when a knight's name was not known, it was customary to address him as Sir Knight. The rank of a knight is not hereditary. [1913 Webster]

3. A piece used in the game of chess, usually bearing a horse's head. [1913 Webster]

4. A playing card bearing the figure of a knight; the knave or jack. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

{Carpet knight}. See under {Carpet}.

{Knight of industry}. See {Chevalier d'industrie}, under {Chevalier}.

{Knight of Malta}, {Knight of Rhodes}, {Knight of St. John of Jerusalem}. See {Hospitaler}.

{Knight of the post}, one who gained his living by giving false evidence on trials, or false bail; hence, a sharper in general. --Nares. ``A knight of the post, . . . quoth he, for so I am termed; a fellow that will swear you anything for twelve pence.'' --Nash.

{Knight of the shire}, in England, one of the representatives of a county in Parliament, in distinction from the representatives of cities and boroughs.

{Knights commanders}, {Knights grand cross}, different classes of the Order of the Bath. See under {Bath}, and {Companion}.

{Knights of labor}, a secret organization whose professed purpose is to secure and maintain the rights of workingmen as respects their relations to their employers. [U. S.]

{Knights of Pythias}, a secret order, founded in Washington, D. C., in 1864, for social and charitable purposes.

{Knights of the Round Table}, knights belonging to an order which, according to the legendary accounts, was instituted by the mythical King Arthur. They derived their common title from the table around which they sat on certain solemn days. --Brande & C. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Knights of Labor —   [naɪts əv leɪbə; englisch »Ritter der Arbeit«], erste bedeutende nationale Gewerkschaftsorganisation in den USA; begründet 1869 in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) durch U. S. Stephens unter dem Namen Noble Order of the K. of L.; ursprünglich eine… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Knights of labor — (spr. naits ŏw lēbör), s. Ritter der Arbeit …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Knights of Labor — (spr. neits ŏf lehb r), Ritter der Arbeit, Arbeiterbund in Amerika mit sozialist. Tendenz, 1869 gegründet, vereinigt im Gegensatz zu den Gewerkvereinen Arbeiter aller Berufe …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Knights of Labor — The Great Seal of the Knights of Labor The Knights of Labor (K of L) (officially Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor ) was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s. Its most important leader was …   Wikipedia

  • Knights of Labor — deutsch: Deklaration der Grundstätze) Die Knights of Labor, (deutsch: Ritter der Arbeit) war eine der bedeutendsten amerikanischen Arbeiterorganisationen des 19. Jahrhunderts. Als eine Art geheime Bruderschaft, The Noble and Holy Order of the… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Knights of Labor — a secret workingmen s organization formed in 1869 to defend the interests of labor. * * * First important national labour organization in the U.S. Founded in 1869 by Uriah Smith Stephens as the Noble Order of the Knights of Labor, it included… …   Universalium

  • Knights of Labor — Chevaliers du travail Pour les articles homonymes, voir Knights. Charte des principes des Chevaliers du travail. Le Noble and Holy Order of the …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Knights of Labor — a secret workingmen s organization formed in 1869 to defend the interests of labor. * * * Knights of Labor plural noun (US) A secret 19c organization for workers • • • Main Entry: ↑knight * * * Knights of Labor, a secret labor organization formed …   Useful english dictionary

  • Knights of Labor — Knights of La|bor [ naits əv leibə] die (Plur.) <engl. amerik.; »Ritter der Arbeit«> 1869 gegründeter Geheimbund, der den ersten Versuch einer Gewerkschaftsorganisation in Nordamerika darstellte …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • Labor history of the United States — involves the history of organized labor, as well as the more general history of working people in the United States of America. Pressures dictating the nature and power of organized labor have included the evolution and power of the corporation,… …   Wikipedia

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