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Carpal Tunnel
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A knucklehead is a blockhead, a stupid person, a dumbbell, etc.
But why's a knucklehead a knucklehead? Is it because one envisions taking one's knuckles and hitting on the knucklehead's head in order to wake up or stir up some activity beneath the bonehead's skull?
Just curious,
DubDub
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Dear WW: Diligent search uncovered only junk. My interpretation is that since knuckles are mostly dense bone with no room for even a tiny brain, it means the person so described is a brainless bonehead.
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I was guessing it had something to do with a person's preference for bare-knuckle brawn over brain, but that makes sense, too.
k
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it seems as though there are innumerable words of this ilk -- one of my favorites is 'gormless'. http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/
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Carpal Tunnel
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Whaaaa---a-at?
- Joe (I wish it was) Friday
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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This from http://makeashorterlink.com/?F26941C8 (not sure of the credibility of the info but sounds okay - it's from a site that teaches english on the net). knucklehead Definition: A stupid person. Example: 1) Charlie's a real knucklehead -- he's been in first grade for five years! 2) You knucklehead! How could you have mixed the the dog food with the cereal? Etymology: A 'knuckle' is a joint or a place where bones meet, particularly the bones of the hand. This word suggests that someone's head looks like or has been hit by a hand, thus making the person stupid. And for whatever reason, the phrase just sounds funny.
That's the best I could come up with DubDub...
Hev
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DubDub, Knucklehead is also the name given to the 1936 Harley Davidson engine. If interested in info: http://www.tower.org/museum/harley_davidson/harley_davidson.htmlI'm a motorcyclist myself, although not a Harley enthusiast, but I know it is a very common term when describing Harleys. The machines, not the riders, as some would guess! 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Thanks, everybody. I like wwh's theory about the density of the knuckles and their not being able to contain even a tiny brain! And, Angel, I'm pretty sure I'll forget the Harley information since I pretty much forget everything put before me that has to do with the mechanical--but, heh, it was an interesting read!
Best regards,
Dub
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Knuckle comes from ME knokel, akin to D kneukel, G Knochel, dim. of a word represented by D knok, G Knochen, meaning "bone," so I surmise that knucklehead is just another way of saying, as Dr Bill's post hints, bonehead.
BTW - knuckle down comes from the game of marbles, referring to the concentration of purpose manifested in a player who is on the floor, knuckle against the ground, preparing a shot, and knuckle under comes from the idea of bowing, knee to floor, in submission.
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Bravo, Sparteye! Knucklehead = Bonehead! Gotcha!
Boneheaded regards,
WoodyWind
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