51Թ

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View synonyms for

know

1

[ noh ]

verb (used with object)

knew, known, knowing.
  1. to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty:

    I know the situation fully.

  2. to have established or fixed in the mind or memory:

    to know a poem by heart; Do you know the way to the park from here?

  3. to be cognizant or aware of:

    I know it.

  4. be acquainted with (a thing, place, person, etc.), as by sight, experience, or report:

    to know the mayor.

  5. to understand from experience or attainment (usually followed by how before an infinitive):

    to know how to make gingerbread.

  6. to be able to distinguish, as one from another:

    to know right from wrong.

  7. Archaic. to have sexual intercourse with.


verb (used without object)

knew, known, knowing.
  1. to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of fact or truth.
  2. to be cognizant or aware, as of some fact, circumstance, or occurrence; have information, as about something.

noun

  1. the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.

know

2

[ noh, nou ]

noun

Scot. and North England.

know

/ əʊ /

verb

  1. also intr; may take a clause as object to be or feel certain of the truth or accuracy of (a fact, etc)
  2. to be acquainted or familiar with

    she's known him five years

  3. to have a familiarity or grasp of, as through study or experience

    he knows French

  4. also intr; may take a clause as object to understand, be aware of, or perceive (facts, etc)

    he knows the answer now

  5. foll by how to be sure or aware of (how to be or do something)
  6. to experience, esp deeply

    to know poverty

  7. to be intelligent, informed, or sensible enough (to do something)

    she knew not to go home yet

  8. may take a clause as object to be able to distinguish or discriminate
  9. archaic.
    to have sexual intercourse with
  10. I know what
    I have an idea
  11. know what's what
    to know how one thing or things in general work
  12. you know informal.
    a parenthetical filler phrase used to make a pause in speaking or add slight emphasis to a statement
  13. you never know
    things are uncertain
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. in the know informal.
    aware or informed
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈԴǷɲ, adjective
  • ˈԴǷɱ, noun
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ԴǷİ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of know1

First recorded before 900; Middle English knowen, knawen, Old English 𳦲ɲ; cognate with Old High German -󲹲, Old Norse “to know how, be able to”; akin to Greek ṓs𾱲, Latin ()ō, Sanskrit ñá “kԴǷɲ”; can 1, gnostic
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of know1

Old English 𳦲ɲ; related to Old Norse I can, Latin noscere to come to know
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Idioms and Phrases

  1. in the know, possessing inside, secret, or special information.
  2. know the ropes, Informal. to understand or be familiar with the particulars of a subject or business:

    He knew the ropes better than anyone else in politics.

More idioms and phrases containing know

  • before you know it
  • (know) by heart
  • come in out of the rain, know enough to
  • coming or going, know if one's
  • for all (I know)
  • god knows
  • (know) inside out
  • in the know
  • it takes one to know one
  • left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing
  • not know beans
  • not know from Adam
  • not know where to turn
  • not know which way to jump
  • thing or two, know
  • what do you know
  • what have you (who knows what)
  • which is which, know
  • you know
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“We know a lot of teams are jumbled up right now. So, we just got to take care of business, a game at a time and try to separate ourselves the best we can.”

From

"I know where I can be, I know where I can get to... but time is running out," Davie said.

From

They’ve been watching bad human behavior — and we all know the security guard doesn’t keep a good eye on his gun.

From

"It clearly helps to make Philip better known to the world, which I think he does deserve to be," she said.

From

Kemp, also known for his portrayal of the Swan in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, admitted Kilmer's acting methods on set sometimes appeared to be "crazy" while at other times there were "moments of absolute genius".

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to say know?

To know something is to perceive or understand it as fact or truth. When should you use this verb over understand or comprehend? Find out on .

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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