sandpiper \sand"pi`per\, n.
   1. zool. any one of numerous species of small limicoline
      game birds belonging to tringa, actodromas,
      ereunetes, and various allied genera of the family
      tringidae.
      1913 webster

   note: the most important north american species are the
         pectoral sandpiper tringa maculata, called also
         brownback, grass snipe, and jacksnipe; the
         red-backed, or black-breasted, sandpiper, or dunlin
         tringa alpina; the purple sandpiper tringa
         maritima: the red-breasted sandpiper, or knot tringa
         canutus; the semipalmated sandpiper ereunetes
         pusillus; the spotted sandpiper, or teeter-tail
         actitis macularia; the buff-breasted sandpiper
         tryngites subruficollis, and the bartramian
         sandpiper, or upland plover. see under upland. among
         the european species are the dunlin, the knot, the
         ruff, the sanderling, and the common sandpiper
         actitis hypoleucus syn. tringoides hypoleucus,
         called also fiddler, peeper, pleeps, weet-weet,
         and summer snipe. some of the small plovers and
         tattlers are also called sandpipers.
         1913 webster

   2. zool. a small lamprey eel; the pride.
      1913 webster

   curlew sandpiper. see under curlew.

   stilt sandpiper. see under stilt.
      1913 webster
see also:
tringa actodromas ereunetes tringidae tringa maculata brownback 
grass snipe jacksnipe tringa alpina tringa maritima tringa canutus 
ereunetes pusillus actitis macularia tryngites subruficollis upland actitis hypoleucus 
tringoides hypoleucus fiddler peeper pleeps weet-weet 
summer snipe curlew sandpiper curlew stilt sandpiper stilt 

knot \knot\ no^t, n. oe. knot, knotte, as. cnotta; akin to
   d. knot, ohg. chnodo, chnoto, g. knoten, icel. kn=utr, sw.
   knut, dan. knude, and perh. to l. nodus. cf. knout,
   knit.
   1.
      a a fastening together of the parts or ends of one or
          more threads, cords, ropes, etc., by any one of
          various ways of tying or entangling.
      b a lump or loop formed in a thread, cord, rope. etc.,
          as at the end, by tying or interweaving it upon
          itself.
      c an ornamental tie, as of a ribbon.
          1913 webster

   note: the names of knots vary according to the manner of
         their making, or the use for which they are intended;
         as, dowknot, reef knot, stopper knot, diamond knot,
         etc.
         1913 webster

   2. a bond of union; a connection; a tie. "with nuptial knot."
      --shak.
      1913 webster

            ere we knit the knot that can never be loosed. --bp.
                                                  hall.
      1913 webster

   3. something not easily solved; an intricacy; a difficulty; a
      perplexity; a problem.
      1913 webster

            knots worthy of solution.             --cowper.
      1913 webster

            a man shall be perplexed with knots, and problems of
            business, and contrary affairs.       --south.
      1913 webster

   4. a figure the lines of which are interlaced or intricately
      interwoven, as in embroidery, gardening, etc. "garden
      knots." --bacon.
      1913 webster

            flowers worthy of paradise, which, not nice art
            in beds and curious knots, but nature boon
            poured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain.
                                                  --milton.
      1913 webster

   5. a cluster of persons or things; a collection; a group; a
      hand; a clique; as, a knot of politicians. "knots of
      talk." --tennyson.
      1913 webster

            his ancient knot of dangerous adversaries. --shak.
      1913 webster

            palms in cluster, knots of paradise.  --tennyson.
      1913 webster

            as they sat together in small, separate knots, they
            discussed doctrinal and metaphysical points of
            belief.                               --sir w.
                                                  scott.
      1913 webster

   6. a portion of a branch of a tree that forms a mass of woody
      fiber running at an angle with the grain of the main stock
      and making a hard place in the timber. a loose knot is
      generally the remains of a dead branch of a tree covered
      by later woody growth.
      1913 webster

   7. a knob, lump, swelling, or protuberance.
      1913 webster

            with lips serenely placid, felt the knot
            climb in her throat.                  --tennyson.
      1913 webster

   8. a protuberant joint in a plant.
      1913 webster

   9. the point on which the action of a story depends; the gist
      of a matter. obs.
      1913 webster

            i shoulde to the knotte condescend,
            and maken of her walking soon an end. --chaucer.
      1913 webster

   10. mech. see node.
       1913 webster

   11. naut.
       a a division of the log line, serving to measure the
           rate of the vessel's motion. each knot on the line
           bears the same proportion to a mile that thirty
           seconds do to an hour. the number of knots which run
           off from the reel in half a minute, therefore, shows
           the number of miles the vessel sails in an hour.
           hence:
       b a nautical mile, or 6080.27 feet; as, when a ship
           goes nautical eight miles an hour, her speed is said
           to be eight knots.
           1913 webster

   12. a kind of epaulet. see shoulder knot.
       1913 webster

   13. zool. a sandpiper tringa canutus, found in the
       northern parts of all the continents, in summer. it is
       grayish or ashy above, with the rump and upper tail
       coverts white, barred with dusky. the lower parts are
       pale brown, with the flanks and under tail coverts white.
       when fat it is prized by epicures. called also dunne.
       1913 webster

   note: the name is said to be derived from king canute, this
         bird being a favorite article of food with him.
         1913 webster

               the knot that called was canutus' bird of old,
               of that great king of danes his name that still
               doth hold,
               his appetite to please that far and near was
               sought.                            --drayton.
         1913 webster
see also:
knout knit node shoulder knot tringa canutus dunne