knit

American  

[nit] / nɪt /

verb (used with object)

knitted, knit, knitting

1. Knitting. to make (a garment, fabric, etc.) by interlocking loops of one or more yarns either by hand with knitting needles or by machine.

2. to join closely and firmly, as members or parts (often followed bytogether ).

   The tragedy knitted the family closer together.

   Synonyms:

   bind, unite, link

3. to contract into folds or wrinkles.

   to knit the brow.

4. to form or create from diverse sources or elements.

   She knitted her play from old folk tales and family anecdotes.

---

verb (used without object)

knitted, knit, knitting

1. to become closely and firmly joined together; grow together, as broken bones do.

2. to contract into folds or wrinkles, as the brow.

3. to become closely and intimately united.

noun

Knitting.

1. fabric produced by knitting.

2. a knitted garment.

3. a style or type of knitting.

4. the basic stitch in knitting, formed by pulling a loop of the working yarn forward through an existing stitch and then slipping that stitch off the needle.

knit British  

/ nɪt /

verb

1. to make (a garment, etc) by looping and entwining (yarn, esp wool) by hand by means of long eyeless needles ( knitting needles ) or by machine ( knitting machine )

2. to join or be joined together closely

3. to draw (the brows) together or (of the brows) to come together, as in frowning or concentrating

4. (of a broken bone) to join together; heal

---

noun

1. 1. a fabric or garment made by knitting

   2. ( in combination )

      a heavy knit

Other Word Forms

• knittable adjective
• knitter noun
• preknit verb (used with object)preknit, preknitted, preknitting
• reknit verbreknit, reknitted, reknitting

Etymology

Origin of knit

before 1000; Middle English knitte, Old English cnyttan to tie; cognate with German knütten; knot ¹

Example Sentences

The attack fell like a thunderbolt on the country’s tightly knit Jewish community.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It was the knitting needle I brought back from my parents' house. It was also that when I finally miscarried, I didn't know that there would be a placenta to pass."

From BBC

She said they had a "very close knit community" who had endured "noise, disturbance and dust" for the last 18 months.

From BBC

“This is a closely knit community,” Topple said.

From Los Angeles Times

“The party’s knitting itself back together,” Newsom said at the event.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bind
• crochet
• fasten
• mend
• sew
• unite
• weave