knaves

Noun

knave (plural knaves)

1. (archaic) A boy; especially, a boy servant.
2. (archaic) Any male servant; a menial.
   • Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave that, doting on his own obsequious bondage, wears out his time, much like his master's ass, For naught but provender, and when he's old – cashier'd! Whip me such honest knaves.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
3. (dated) A tricky, deceitful fellow; a dishonest person.
   • I could plainly diſcover from whence one Family derives a long Chin; why a ſecond hath abounded with Knaves for two Generations, and Fools for two more; why a third happened to be crack-brained, and a fourth to be Sharpers.1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Further Account of Glubbdubdrib. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte...

   Synonyms:

   rogue, villain, antimodel, bad guy, baddie, bastard, beggar, blackguard, bounder, cad

4. A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or a soldier.

   Synonyms:

   jack