Definition of 'know'

Word Frequency

know

(noʊ)

Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense knows, present participle knowing, past tense knew, past participle known

1. verb [no cont]

If you know a fact, a piece of information, or an answer, you have it correctly in your mind.

I don't know the name of the place. [VERB noun]

I know that you led a rifle platoon during the Second World War. [VERB that]

'People like doing things for nothing.'—'I know they do.' [VERB that]

I don't know what happened to her husband. [VERB wh]

'How did he meet your mother?'—'I don't know.' [VERB]

We all know about his early experiments in flying. [VERB + about]

They looked younger than I knew them to be. [VERB noun to-infinitive]

Radon is known to be harmful to humans in large quantities. [VERB noun to-infinitive]

It is not known whether the bomb was originally intended for the capital itself. [be V-ed wh]

It's always been known that key figures in the government do very well for themselves. [be VERB-ed that]

Synonyms: have knowledge of, see, understand, recognize More Synonyms of know

2. verb [no cont]

If you know someone, you are familiar with them because you have met them and talked to them before.

Gifford was a friend. I'd known him for nine years. [VERB noun]

Do you two know each other? [VERB noun]

He doesn't know anybody in London. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: be acquainted with, recognize, associate with, be familiar with More Synonyms of know

3. verb [no cont]

If you say that you know of something, you mean that you have heard about it but you do not necessarily have a lot of information about it.

We know of the incident but have no further details. [VERB + of]

The president admitted that he did not know of any rebels having surrendered so far. [VERB of noun]

I know of no one who would want to murder Albert. [VERB + of]

4. verb [no cont]

If you know about a subject, you have studied it or taken an interest in it, and understand part or all of it.

Hire someone with experience, someone who knows about real estate. [VERB + about]

She didn't know anything about music but she liked to sing. [V amount + about]

Synonyms: be familiar with, experience, understand, ken [Scottish] More Synonyms of know

5. verb [no cont]

If you know a language, you have learned it and can understand it.

It helps to know French and Creole if you want to understand some of the lyrics. [VERB noun]

Rachel already knows as many words in German as she does in English. [VERB noun]

Her new classmates knew no Latin. [VERB noun]

6. verb [no cont]

If you know something such as a place, a work of art, or an idea, you have visited it, seen it, read it, or heard about it, and so you are familiar with it.

No matter how well you know Paris, it is easy to get lost. [VERB noun]

I don't know the play, I've just come to see it. [VERB noun]

7. verb [no cont]

If you know how to do something, you have the necessary skills and knowledge to do it.

The health authorities now know how to deal with the disease. [V wh-to-inf]

We know what to do to make it work. [V wh-to-inf]

8. verb [no cont]

You can say that someone knows that something is happening when they become aware of it.

Then I saw a gun under the hall table so I knew that something was wrong. [VERB that]

The first I knew about it was when I woke up in the ambulance. [VERB + about]

9. verb [no cont]

If you know something or someone, you recognize them when you see them or hear them.

Would she know you if she saw you on the street? [VERB noun]

I thought I knew the voice. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: recognize, remember, identify, recall More Synonyms of know

10. verb [no cont]

If someone or something is known as a particular name, they are called by that name.

The disease is more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease. [be VERB-ed + as]

He was born as John Birks Gillespie, but everyone knew him as Dizzy. [VERB noun + as]

He was the only boy in the school who was known by his Christian name and not hissurname. [be VERB-ed + by]

...British Nuclear Fuels, otherwise known as BNFL. [VERB-ed]

11. verb

If you know someone or something as a person or thing that has particular qualities, you consider that they have those qualities.

Lots of people know her as a very kind woman. [VERB noun + as]

We know them as inaccurate and misleading property descriptions. [VERB noun as noun]

Kemp knew him for a meticulous officer. [VERB noun for noun]

12. verb

If you know someone as a person with a particular job or role, you are familiar with them in that job or role, rather than in any other.

Most of us know her as the woman who used to present the television news. [VERB noun as noun]

The soldiers–all of whom we knew as neighbours–stood around pointing guns at us. [VERB noun as noun]

13. See also knowing, known

14.

See as we know it

15.

See to get to know sb

16.

See heaven/god/lord/christ etc knows

17.

See I know

18.

See I know

19.

See I know (how you feel, etc)

20.

See I don't know (about that)

21.

See I don't know about you

22.

See I don't know how/what

23.

See (I'm) blessed/damned/buggered if I know

24.

See in the know

25.

See you know what I mean

26.

See you never know

27.

See not that I know of

28.

See sb wasn't to know/how was sb to know

29.

See what does sb know

30.

See what do you know

31.

See you know

32.

See you know

33.

See you know

34.

See you don't know

35. to know something backwards

36. to know best

37. to know better

38. to know no bounds

39. to know what side your bread is buttered on

40. to know something for a fact

41. as far as I know

42. not to know the first thing about something

43. to know full well

44. to let someone know

45. not to know the meaning of the word

46. to know your own mind

47. for reasons best known to oneself

48. to know the ropes

Video: pronunciation of
know

know in British English

(nəʊ)

verbWord forms: knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

1. (also intr; may take a clause as object)

to be or feel certain of the truth or accuracy of (a fact, etc)

to be acquainted or familiar with

she's known him five years

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)

to experience, esp deeply

to know poverty

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

11. know what's what

12. you know

13. you never know

noun

14. in the know

Derived forms

knowable (ˈknowable)

adjective

Word origin

Old English gecnāwan; related to Old Norse knā I can, Latin noscere to come to know

Word Frequency

know in American English

(noʊ)

verb transitiveWord forms: knew, known, ˈknowing

to have a clear perception or understanding of; be sure of or well informed about

to know the facts

to be aware or cognizant of; have perceived or learned

to know that one is loved

to have a firm mental grasp of; have securely in the memory

to know the multiplication tables

to be acquainted or familiar with

I knew him well

to experience

she has known both pleasure and pain

to have understanding of or skill in as a result of study or experience

to know music

to recognize

I'd know that face anywhere

to recognize as distinct; distinguish

to know right from wrong

8. Archaic

to have sexual intercourse with

verb intransitive

to have knowledge

10.

to be sure, informed, or aware

Idioms:

Derived forms

knowable (ˈknowable)

adjective

knower (ˈknower)

noun

Word origin

ME knowen < OE cnawan, akin to OHG -cnāhan < IE base *ĝen-, *ĝnō-, to know, apprehend > can1, ken, L gnoscere, to know, Gr gignōskein

Examples of 'know' in a sentence
know

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Perhaps his wife did know about this but chose not to share all the details at work.From past experience we know staff terms and conditions can be targeted for savings.We look each other in the eye and we know if something is right.There was no one who went before you and knew all the answers.No one wants to know about that.But he will know from experience it could be a lot worse.People in the know think something else might be up.I knew all their names and used to pop in at least three times a week.I have struck up conversations with numerous people who know the name of my dog but not mine.As a father I know you will understand how we feel as a family.