knække

Cognate with Norwegian knekke, Swedish knäcka. Probably of onomatopoeic origin. Compare also German knacken (“to crack”).

• IPA^(key): [ˈkʰn̥ɛɡ̊ə]

knække (imperative knæk, infinitive at knække, present tense knækker, past tense knækkede, perfect tense or (unofficial) knak)

1. (transitive) to break (make a thing fall apart)
2. (transitive) to break (break down a person mentally or economically)
3. (transitive) to suffer a fracture in
4. (transitive) to solve (a problem, a code)
5. (intransitive) to crack, break (fall apart)
6. (intransitive) to crack, break (shift suddenly)
7. (intransitive) to give up

• “knække” in Den Danske Ordbog