Meaning & use
knobbies
Last updated
“knobbies” is a form of “knobby”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralinformalsport
Tires with many small raised bumps on the tread, used on dirt bikes and off-road vehicles.
Grammar: Always plural; use with a plural verb: 'The knobbies gripped the mud.' A single one is 'a knobby' or, more often, 'a knobby tire'.
Patterns
- ride on knobbies
- a set of knobbies
- knobbies for off-road use
He put a new set of knobbies on his dirt bike before the race.
These knobbies are great in mud but noisy on the highway.
The mechanic recommended knobbies for the rocky trail.
Common combinations
- knobby tires
- The truck had big knobby tires for the desert.
- a set of knobbies
- He bought a set of knobbies for his mountain bike.
- ride on knobbies
- You can ride on knobbies on gravel roads.
- knobbies grip the trail
- The knobbies grip the trail well in wet conditions.
Synonyms and how they differ
- off-road tires
- A neutral, standard term; 'knobbies' is informal and emphasizes the bumpy tread pattern.
- mud tires
- Specifically for mud; 'knobbies' can be used for any off-road tire with a knobby tread.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: knobbies or knobs?
knobbies vs knobs
Knobs are the bumps themselves or handles; 'knobbies' refers to tires with such bumps.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'knobbies' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Knobbies' are off-road tires with a bumpy tread, so replacing them on a dirt bike makes sense. The other options confuse 'knobbies' with bumps on clothing, smooth tires, or parts of a tree.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “knobbies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.