[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/knapsack/)

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# knapsack

noun (knapsacks)

«knapsack» in the English dictionary: everyday and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A bag carried on the back, used for carrying food and things on a journey. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knapsack/#m1)

### In the lessons

in stories, a traveller's bag holding food, a pouch, or a few tools for a long walk

### Examples

- He packed bread and cheese in his knapsack. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knapsack/#x1)
- The raven had a little knapsack on his back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knapsack/#x2)
- The student took his knapsack and set off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knapsack/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths; if the question counts the things in the knapsack, the knapsack itself adds nothing to the count

## Early Modern English

### Meaning

A bag carried on the back for food and things on a journey. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/K/knapsack/#m1)

### Then and now

Today we usually say "backpack" or "rucksack", and "knapsack" is old-fashioned. The sentences use the same sense as today.

### Examples

- I will fill your knapsack—I will fill your pouch.’ (The Crimson Fairy Book) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/K/knapsack/#x1)
- “He had a little knapsack at his back,” said the Raven. (Andersen's Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/K/knapsack/#x2)
- The student took his knapsack and betook himself to the ferry-house. (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/K/knapsack/#x3)

### Note

Today: backpack.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «knapsack» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knapsack/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«knapsack» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/knapsack.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «knapsack» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/K/knapsack/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«knapsack» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/knapsack.html) on Mova free.