• enPR: nāv, IPA: /neɪv/

knave (plural knaves)

1. (archaic) A boy; especially, a boy servant.
2. (archaic) Any male servant; a menial.
   • c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act 1, scene 1]:

     Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave that, doting on his own obsequious bondage, wears out his time, much like his master's ass, For naught but provender, and when he's old – cashier'd! Whip me such honest knaves.

3. A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person.

   Synonyms: rogue, villain

   • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter II, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 731476803 ↗:

     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.

4. (cards) A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

• See also Thesaurus:villain

• French: page
• German: Knabe, Knappe, Junge
• Italian: paggio
• Russian: ма́льчик-слуга́
• Spanish: paje

• German: Boy, Knecht
• Italian: garzone, giovane
• Russian: прислу́жник
• Spanish: mozo

• French: voyou, fourbe
• German: Gauner, Schurke, Bösewicht, Übeltäter, Unhold, Strolch
• Russian: подле́ц
• Spanish: bellaco, villano

• French: valet
• German: Bube
• Italian: fante
• Portuguese: valete
• Russian: вале́т
• Spanish: sota