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dignity, or condition of a knight, or of knights as a class; hence, chivalry. "O shame to knighthood." Shak. If you needs must write, write Cæsar's praise; You 'll gain at least a knighthood, or the bays. Pope.

A ceremony formerly used in conferring knighthood, consisting am embrace, and a slight blow on the shoulders with the flat blade of a sword.

The body of young aspirants for knighthood. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A title of rank, conferred for heroic deeds, and hence, an order of knighthood; also, the person bearing such title or rank.

The unwritten code of moral principles regulating the actions of the Japanese knighthood, or Samurai; the chivalry of Japan.

A member of certain orders of knighthood. Chevalier d'industrie ( Etym: [F.], one who lives by persevering fraud; a pickpocket; a sharper. -- The Chevalier St. George (Eng. Hist.), James Francis Edward Stuart (son of James II.), called "The Pretender." -- The Young Chevalier, Charles Edward Stuart, son of the Chevalie…

The dignity or system of knighthood; the spirit, usages, or manners of knighthood; the practice of knight-errantry. Dryden.

t of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment. Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood. Hallam. Cleared by composition with their creditors. Blackstone.

Any one of three orders of knighthood; the first instituted by Charles I., king of Naples and Sicily, in 1268; the second by René of Anjou, in 1448; and the third by the Sultan Selim III., in 1801, to be conferred upon foreigners to whom Turkey might be indebted for valuable services. Brande & C.

nmark, bearing figures of cross and crown. Order of Dannebrog, an ancient Danish order of knighthood.

any mark of honor to be worn upon the person, as a medal, cross, or ribbon of an order of knighthood, bestowed for services in war, great achievements in literature, art, etc. Decoration Day, a day, May 30, appointed for decorating with flowers the graves of the Union soldiers and sailors, who fell in the Civil War in…

The distinguishing badge of the highest order of knighthood in Great Britain, called the Order of the Garter, instituted by Edward III.; also, the Order itself.

by birth. [Obs.] "Pride of gentrie." Chaucer. She conquers him by high almighty Jove, By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath. Shak.

, and in quest of which Jason undertook the Argonautic expedition. (b) (Her.) An order of knighthood instituted in 1429 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy; -- called also Toison d'Or. -- Golden grease, a bribe; a fee. [Slang] -- Golden hair (Bot.), a South African shrubby composite plant with golden yellow flowers,…

chapters, called Posts, throughout the country. -- Grand cross. (a) The highest rank of knighthood in the Order of the Bath. (b) A knight grand cross. -- Grand cordon, the cordon or broad ribbon, identified with the highest grade in certain honorary orders; hence, a person who holds that grade. -- Grand days (Eng.…

nation denoting state, condition, quality, character, totality, as in manhood, childhood, knighthood, brotherhood. Sometimes it is written, chiefly in obsolete words, in the form - head.

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:

t of plans and efforts; to gain; to get; as, to realize large profits from a speculation. Knighthood was not beyond the reach of any man who could by diligent thrift realize a good estate. Macaulay.

revile; to degrade, disgrace, or put to shame. [Archaic] R. Browning. The famous name of knighthood foully shend. Spenser. She passed the rest as Cynthia doth shend The lesser stars. Spenser.

re. Modern spurs have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs were the badge of knighthood. And on her feet a pair of spurs large. Chaucer.