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From Old Norse knappr, from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to *knappō (“knob, boy”).

knapp m

  1. button
  2. knob
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From Middle Low German knap, probably related to Old Norse hneppr (“button”) and hneppa (“pinch”), all from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to *knappō (“knob, boy”). Cognate with Dutch knap, but of uncertain ultimate origin. Also compare Danish næppe (“hardly at all”).[1]

  • IPA(key): /knap/, [knap]
  • Audio (Berlin, East Central German):(file)

knapp (strong nominative masculine singular knapper, comparative knapper, superlative am knappsten)

  1. scarce
  2. lean (having little extra)
  3. somewhat less (than)

    ein knappes Jahr

    a little less than a year
  4. (clothes) short or tight
  5. a close call, a narrow escape

    Das war knapp. Wir wären fast abgestürzt!

    That was close. We nearly crashed!

Comparative forms of knapp

Superlative forms of knapp

knapp

  1. narrowly, just, barely

    Wir sind knapp pünktlich.

    We’re just in time.
  2. somewhat less than, almost
    Antonym: gut

    Sein Sohn ist knapp acht Jahre alt.

    His son is just under eight years old/is almost eight years old.

    Es ist knapp sieben Uhr.

    It's just before seven o'clock/almost seven o'clock.
  1. ^ “næppe” in Den Danske Ordbog
  • knaps (Wiesemann spelling)

From Middle Low German knap, probably related to Old Norse hneppr (“button”) and hneppa (“pinch”), all from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to *knappō (“knob, boy”). Cognate with Dutch knap, but of uncertain ultimate origin. Also compare Danish næppe (“hardly at all”).[1]

knapp (comparative knapper, superlative knappest)

  1. scarce
Declension of knapp (see also Appendix:Hunsrik adjectives)
masculine feminine neuter plural
Weak inflection nominative knapp knapp knapp knappe
accusative knappe knapp knapp knappe
dative knappe knappe knappe knappe
Strong inflection nominative knapper knappe knappes knappe
accusative knappe knappe knappes knappe
dative knappem knapper knappem knappe
  1. ^ “næppe” in Den Danske Ordbog
  • Piter Kehoma Boll (2021) “knapp”, in Dicionário Hunsriqueano Riograndense–Português (in Portuguese), 3rd edition, Ivoti: Riograndenser Hunsrickisch, page 92, column 2

From Old Norse knappr.

knapp m (definite singular knappen, indefinite plural knapper, definite plural knappene)

  1. button

From Old Norse knappr.

knapp m (definite singular knappen, indefinite plural knappar, definite plural knappane)

  1. button

From Middle Low German knap, whence also German knapp, Danish knap. Further cognate with Dutch knap. Compare also Danish næppe (“hardly at all”).

knapp (comparative knappare, superlative knappast)

  1. scarce, not much of something

    tiden är knapp

    there's not much time

    växa upp under knappa omständigheter

    to grow up under conditions where nothing is abundant
  2. somewhat less than

    en knapp kilometer

    somewhat less than one kilometer
Inflection of knapp
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular knapp knappare knappast
Neuter singular knappt knappare knappast
Plural knappa knappare knappast
Masculine plural3 knappe knappare knappast
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 knappe knappare knappaste
All knappa knappare knappaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic

From Old Norse knappr, from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to *knappō (“knob, boy”).

knapp c

  1. a button (fastener for clothes)

    knäppa en knapp

    fasten/button a button

    sy fast en knapp

    sew on a button
  2. a button (meant to be pressed)
    Coordinate terms: ratt, spak

    Tryck inte på knappen

    Don't press the button
    1. (graphical user interface) a button
    2. a switch (in the form of a button, or sometimes more generally by informal extension, especially for light switches)
      Synonym: strömbrytare

      en ljusknapp / lysknapp

      a light switch
  3. (botany) an anther
Declension of knapp 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative knapp knappen knappar knapparna
Genitive knapps knappens knappars knapparnas

From Middle English knobbe.

knapp (plural knappas)

  1. A button stuffed with cloth.
  • Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 50