knucklehead n : these words are used to express a low opinion of someone's intelligence [syn: dunce, dunderhead, numskull, blockhead, bonehead, lunkhead, hammerhead, loggerhead, muttonhead, shithead, fuckhead]

English

Pronunciation

• /ˈnʌkl̩ˌhɛd/
• SAMPA: /"nVk=l%hEd/

Noun

1. An idiot; a stupid or inept person.

   Don't stick that screwdriver into the live electrical outlet, you 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 engine used by Harley-Davidson, replacing the Flathead engine in 1936. The engine was manufactured until 1947 and was replaced by the Panhead engine in 1948.

As the design of Harley-Davidson engines has evolved through the years, the distinctive shape of the valve covers has allowed Harley enthusiasts to classify an engine simply by looking at the shape of the cover. A knucklehead engine has round knobs on the cover resembling knuckles that give the knucklehead its name.

See also

• Harley-Davidson engine timeline

External links

• Images of each style of Harley-Davidson engine

addlebrain, addlehead, addlepate, beefhead, blockhead, blubberhead, blunderhead, bonehead, bufflehead, cabbagehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodhead, clodpate, clodpoll, dolthead, dullhead, dumbhead, dunderhead, dunderpate, fathead, jolterhead, jughead, lunkhead, meathead, muddlehead, mushhead, muttonhead, noodlehead, numskull, peabrain, pinbrain, pinhead, puddinghead, pumpkin head, puzzlehead, stupidhead, thickhead, thickskull, tottyhead