knucklehead

knucklehead
knucklehead "stupid person," 1890, American English, from KNUCKLE (Cf. knuckle) (n.) + HEAD (Cf. head) (n.).
"That infernal knuckle-head at the camp ought to have reported before now," he thought to himself, as he smoked. [Charles H. Shinn, "The Quicksands of Toro," in "Belford's Magazine," vol. V, June-November 1890, New York]
From 1869 as the name of a part in a type of mechanical coupling device. Popularized in the "stupid person" sense from 1942, from character R.F. Knucklehead, star of "Don't" posters hung up at U.S. Army Air Force training fields.
Everything Knucklehead does is wrong and ends in disaster. He endures one spectacular crash after another so that the students at the Gulf Coast Air Force Training Center may profit by his mistakes, and it looks now as if there will be no let-up in his agony. ["Life," May 25, 1942]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • knucklehead — ► NOUN informal ▪ a stupid person …   English terms dictionary

  • knucklehead — ☆ knucklehead [nuk′ lhed΄ ] n. Informal a stupid person; fool …   English World dictionary

  • Knucklehead — The knucklehead was a Harley Davidson motorcycle engine, so named because of the distinct shape of the rocker covers (valve covers). The engine is a two cylinder, two valve per cylinder, pushrod V twin. It was the second type of V Twin engine… …   Wikipedia

  • knucklehead — UK [ˈnʌk(ə)lˌhed] / US noun [countable] Word forms knucklehead : singular knucklehead plural knuckleheads informal a stupid person …   English dictionary

  • knucklehead — n. a stupid person. □ Oh, I feel like such a knucklehead! □ Don’t worry, you’re not a knucklehead …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • knucklehead — noun /ˈnʌkl̩ˌhɛd/ An idiot; a stupid or inept person Dont stick that screwdriver into the live electrical outlet, you knucklehead! See Also: knuckle …   Wiktionary

  • knucklehead — n A stupid or foolish person. That knucklehead can t read his own name without moving his lips! 1940s …   Historical dictionary of American slang

  • knucklehead — one who does not think, doughhead    What a knucklehead! He made the same mistake ten times …   English idioms

  • knucklehead — noun (C) AmE spoken used to address someone who you like who has done something stupid: You knucklehead, you can t go around saying things like that! …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • knucklehead — noun Date: 1942 dumbbell 2 • knuckleheaded adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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