Verb

1. To shape a hard, brittle material (such as flint, obsidian, chert etc.) by breaking away sections or flakes, often forming a sharp edge or point. Distinguished from "carve" because each fracture goes across one entire face or facet, and from "cleave" because breaking (knapping) vitreous, brittle homogeneous (i.e., not crystalline) materials inevitably results in curved, conchoidal fractures.

Usage notes

The verb is often used as a synonym of the more specific word knap. The term knap is used in archaeology for the production of flaked stone tools and in gunsmithing for the production of gunflints. Knap is often used in more formal discourse for the general term percussion flaking. Knap is rarely used in stonemasonry except to denote fine chipping done with smaller hammers but without the chisel. Knapping is indeed percussion flaking but rarely is used to describe the production of gunflints.

Adjective

1. scanty, scarce
2. brief, concise

Adjective

1. smart, intelligent, gifted, talented
2. attractive, beautiful, handsome

Verb form

1. imperative form of knappen
2. singular present imperfect form of knappen