knacker
/'nækə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A person whose business is the disposal of dead or unwanted animals, especially old horses, for slaughter and rendering: A knacker traditionally buys old or worn-out horses to be killed, with the carcasses often processed for products like animal feed or glue.
- A person who buys old structures (like buildings or ships) to demolish them and sell the materials: In this sense, a knacker deals in the salvage and recycling of materials from derelict property or vessels.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The old mare was sold to the knacker. (The old female horse was sold to the person who buys animals for slaughter.)
- He worked as a knacker, breaking down decommissioned ships for scrap metal. (His job involved dismantling old ships to recover the materials in them.)
Advanced Usage and Notes
- The term knacker is primarily used in British and Irish English. In modern contexts, it can carry negative or grim connotations due to its association with animal slaughter and demolition.
- "Knacker's yard" is a common compound phrase referring to the place where animals are slaughtered or where old structures are broken up.
- The injured racehorse was sent to the knacker's yard.
Variants and Related Words
- Knackered (adjective, informal, chiefly British): Extremely tired or exhausted. This common slang term is derived from the idea of being as worn out as a horse fit for the knacker.
- After the long hike, I was completely knackered.
Synonyms
- Horse slaughterer
- Salvager (for the demolition sense)
- Scrap dealer (for the demolition sense)
Idioms and Phrases
- "Ready for the knacker's yard": Used figuratively to describe a person, animal, or thing that is extremely old, worn out, or no longer functional.
- After twenty years of hard service, that old truck is ready for the knacker's yard.
Noun
- someone who buys up old horses for slaughter
- someone who buys old buildings or ships and breaks them up to recover the materials in them