KNACKER

knacker

(noun) someone who buys up old horses for slaughter

knacker

(noun) someone who buys old buildings or ships and breaks them up to recover the materials in them

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

knacker (plural knackers)

One who makes knickknacks, toys, etc.

One of two or more pieces of bone or wood held loosely between the fingers, and struck together by moving the hand; a clapper.

A harness maker.

One who slaughters and (especially) renders worn-out livestock (especially horses) and sells their flesh, bones and hides.

One who dismantles old ships, houses, etc. and sells their components.

(Ireland, British, offensive) A member of the Travelling Community; a Gypsy.

(Ireland, offensive, slang) A person of lower social class; a chav, skanger or scobe.

(UK, slang, mostly, in the plural) A testicle.

(UK, dialect, obsolete) A collier's horse.

Verb

knacker (third-person singular simple present knackers, present participle knackering, simple past and past participle knackered)

(UK slang) To tire out, exhaust.

(UK slang) To reprimand.

Source: Wiktionary

Knack"er, n.

1. One who makes knickknacks, toys, etc. Mortimer.

2. One of two or more pieces of bone or wood held loosely between the fingers, and struck together by moving the hand; -- called also clapper. Halliwell.

Knack"er, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel.hnakkr a saddle.]

1. a harness maker. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

2. One who slaughters worn-out horses and sells their flesh for dog's meat. [Eng.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition