knob
Americannoun
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a projecting part, usually rounded, forming the handle of a door, drawer, or the like.
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a rounded lump or protuberance on the surface or at the end of something, as a knot on a tree trunk.
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Architecture. an ornamental boss, as of carved work.
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a rounded hill, mountain, or elevation on a ridge.
verb (used with object)
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to produce a knob on.
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to furnish with a knob.
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(in stone cutting) to knock off (excess stone) preparatory to dressing; knobble; skiffle.
noun
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a rounded projection from a surface, such as a lump on a tree trunk
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a handle of a door, drawer, etc, esp one that is rounded
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a round hill or knoll or morainic ridge
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taboo a slang word for penis
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informal the same to you but even more so
verb
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(tr) to supply or ornament with knobs
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(intr) to form into a knob; bulge
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taboo to have sexual intercourse with (someone)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of knob
1350–1400; Middle English knobbe < Middle Low German
Explanation
You can use the word knob for any bump or bulge, like the egg-shaped knob on your head after you bumped it on the door knob. Along the same likes as a bulging lump or protuberance, a knob is also a handle that juts out and is round shaped. The knobs on your dresser might be glass or porcelain, while the knobs on your kitchen cabinets could be made of chrome. There are also the knobs, or controls, on your old fashioned TV or radio, and the knob that's basically a lump or hunk, like a knob of butter.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
With its exquisite controls—a knob to wind the clock, a key to wind the bell and a button to silence the alarm—it was a bewildering cross between jewelry and a grown-up appliance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
"This means that phosphate scarcity is the primary control knob for methane production and emissions in the open ocean," Weber says.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 16, 2026
He learned to beatmatch by plugging a player into each side of his amplifier and using the balance knob to fade between them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
She had the kind that had batteries and a digital display and a few that that had a knob on top that showed the temperature.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 21, 2025
I reach for the knob and pull open the door.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
There is a traditional steering wheel, knobs and levers, while the screens consist of so-called organic light-emitting diodes, which don’t require backlighting, to create a more analog feel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Door handles, faucet knobs, and flush levers tend to be more contaminated because they are frequently touched, often with unwashed hands.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 13, 2026
For the hardware, the couple will be replacing the existing silver-toned metal with gold, including new faucets, new drawer handles, and new knobs for the cupboards.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 8, 2026
There are no knobs to be found; doors open with hidden latches and levers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2025
They were very long, wooden and battered, and had two decorative, old-fashioned knobs on their tips.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
You’ll discover the fancifully striped Red St. Lawrence from Maine, the sleek Arkansas Black, the ruby Hidden Rose from Oregon, the pearly Yellow Transparent from Russia and several tortured knobbed russets from Sussex, England.
From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2021
The knobbed Schwalbes are surprisingly quiet on city roads while offering decent grip on trails — but not as much as you’d get from proper mountain bike tires.
From The Verge ● May 17, 2019
The knobbed ends keep flopping over, needing frequent fixing.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2016
"My heart knobbed up and started a wild swing," Brad reminisces.
From Time Magazine Archive
His knobbed fingers fluttered among the stars and secret signs of his gown, but he would not help the speaker.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
