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the knave or jack. [Obs.] 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; hen…

A convulsive tic or hysteric neurosis prevalent among Malays, similar to or identical with miryachit and jumping disease, the person affected performing various involuntary actions and making rapid inarticulate ejaculations in imitation of the actions and words of another person.

e found in the northern parts of both continents. The last of the race, in Europe, were coeval with prehistoric man.

ign personally on earth a thousand years; a Chiliast; also, a believer in the universal prevalence of Christianity for a long period.

A great medieval German epic of unknown authorship containing traditions which refer to the Burgundians at the time of Attila (called Etzel in the poem) and mythological elements pointing to heathen times.

to gain or have a firm footing; to be recognized or established; to subsist; to become prevalent or general; to prevail; as, the custom obtains of going to the seashore in summer. Sobriety hath by use obtained to signify temperance in drinking. Jer. Taylor. The Theodosian code, several hundred years after Justinian's…

Among the early and medieval Teutonic peoples, esp. Scandinavians, the heritable land held by the various odalmen constituting a family or kindred of freeborn tribesmen; also, the ownership of such land. The odal was subject only to certain rights of the family or kindred in restricting the freedom of transfer or sale…

a mythical king of ancient Attica, or to a great deluge in Attica in his days; hence, primeval; of obscure antiquity.

See Terrapin. Potter's asthma (Med.), emphysema of the lungs; -- so called because very prevalent among potters. Parkers. -- Potter's clay. See under Clay. -- Potter's field, a public burial place, especially in a city, for paupers, unknown persons, and criminals; -- so named from the field south of Jerusalem, mentio…

The quality or state of being predominant; superiority; ascendency; prevalence; predomination. The predominance of conscience over interest. South.

The quality or state of being prepollent; superiority of power; predominance; prevalence. [R.] Coventry.

e in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day. This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails. Locke.

Predominant; prevalent; most general; as, the prevailing disease of a climate; a prevailing opinion.

Prevalence; superior influence; efficacy. [Obs.] Shak.

First in order of time; original; primeval; primitive; primary. "Prime forests." Tennyson. She was not the prime cause, but I myself. Milton.

Primeval. [Obs.]

Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive church. "Our primitive great sire." Milton.

Belonging to the earliest period or state; original; primitive; primeval; as, the pristine state of innocence; the pristine manners of a people; pristine vigor.

A cheval glass.

Having the chief power; ruling; predominant; prevalent. "A traitor to the vices regnant." Swift.