knot

[ not ]

/ nɒt /

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See synonyms for: knot / knotted on Thesaurus.com

noun

an interlacing, twining, looping, etc., of a cord, rope, or the like, drawn tight into a knob or lump, for fastening, binding, or connecting two cords together or a cord to something else.

a piece of ribbon or similar material tied or folded upon itself and used or worn as an ornament.

a group or cluster of persons or things: a knot of spectators.

the hard, cross-grained mass of wood at the place where a branch joins the trunk of a tree.

a part of this mass showing in a piece of lumber, wood panel, etc.

Anatomy, Zoology. a protuberance or swelling on or in a part or process, as in a muscle.

a protuberance in the tissue of a plant; an excrescence on a stem, branch, or root; a node or joint in a stem, especially when of swollen form.

any of various fungal diseases of trees characterized by the formation of an excrescence, knob, or gnarl.

an involved, intricate, or difficult matter; complicated problem.

Nautical.

a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile or about 1.15 statute miles per hour.
a unit of 47 feet 3 inches (13.79 meters) on a logline, marked off by knots.
a nautical mile.

a bond or tie: the knot of matrimony.

Also called joint, node .Mathematics. in interpolation, one of the points at which the values of a function are assigned.

verb (used with object), knot·ted, knot·ting.

to tie in a knot; form a knot in.

to secure or fasten by a knot.

to form protuberances, bosses, or knobs in; make knotty.

verb (used without object), knot·ted, knot·ting.

to become tied or tangled in a knot.

to form knots or joints.

OTHER WORDS FOR knot

3 company, band, crew, gang, crowd.

7 lump, knob, gnarl.

9 perplexity, puzzle, conundrum.

See synonyms for knot on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about knot

tie the knot, Informal. to marry: They will tie the knot in November.

Origin of knot

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun knot(t)e, cnotte, cnot(e), Old English cnotta; cognate with Dutch knot, German knoten “to knit”; the verb is derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM knot

knot·less, adjectiveknot·like, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH knot

knot , not

Words nearby knot

Knoop scale, knop, Knopf, knosp, Knossos, knot, knot garden, knotgrass, knothole, knotroot, knot stitch

Other definitions for knot (2 of 2)

knot²

[ not ]

/ nɒt /

noun

either of two large sandpipers, Calidris canutus or C. tenuirostris, that breed in the Arctic and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

Also called grayback .

Origin of knot

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; origin unknown

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use knot in a sentence

Cotton and leather boot laces are simply no match for paracord’s breaking strength, high knot strength, or durability, then or now.
This essential survival tool can save your life 10 different ways|By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life|September 15, 2020|Popular-Science
Vortex helicity has long been defined as the total number of links and knots in a vortex or in a connected group of vortices.
An Unexpected Twist Lights Up the Secrets of Turbulence|David H. Freedman|September 3, 2020|Quanta Magazine
If such a fluid existed, then no matter what changes a vortex or group of linked vortices in the fluid went through, the number of links and knots would add up to the same number.
An Unexpected Twist Lights Up the Secrets of Turbulence|David H. Freedman|September 3, 2020|Quanta Magazine
In the season 7 finale, George and Susan were finally tying the knot and George’s wallet was taking a beating.
Science of ‘Seinfeld’|LGBTQ-Editor|June 15, 2020|No Straight News

The rules predict only the relative strength of each knot — that is, whether one knot is stronger than another.
Color-changing fibers help unravel a knotty problem|Emily Conover|January 31, 2020|Science News For Students
There is something irrevocable-feeling about couples tying the knot on the steps of the county courthouse.
Gay Marriage Chaos Begins|Jay Michaelson|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Every day before leaving home, Sara stands before the mirror and tightens the knot on her scarf.
Acid Attacks on Women Spread Terror in Iran|IranWire|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most famous people in the world tied the knot secretly over the weekend.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Got Married and We’re Worried About Jennifer Aniston|Kevin Fallon, Tim Teeman|August 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The moment he was finally able to loop a knot by himself was a milestone, his first step to becoming a man.
Miami’s Chris Bosh Goes High Fashion|Justin Jones|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Star-studded guests arrived in fancy cars, and music and cheers rose above the castle walls as Kimye tied the knot.
Eavesdropping On Kim and Kanye’s Florentine “Wedding of the Century”|Barbie Latza Nadeau|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the head they insert a bamboo knot, with its point well sharpened into two edges.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
This is called the "Investiture of the Top-knot," and is always attended by solemn ceremonies.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
In accordance with that statement, he had decided that on the next day his son should be formally "invested" with the top-knot.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
He went down the road, collected his little knot of listeners, and began the Song of the Girl.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
I asked sharply, and MacRae flung the same query over one shoulder as he fumbled at the tight-drawn latigo-knot.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for knot (1 of 2)

knot¹

/ (nɒt) /

noun

any of various fastenings formed by looping and tying a piece of rope, cord, etc, in upon itself, to another piece of rope, or to another object

a prescribed method of tying a particular knot

a tangle, as in hair or string

a decorative bow or fastening, as of ribbon or braid

a small cluster or huddled group

a tie or bondthe marriage knot

a difficult problem

a protuberance or lump of plant tissues, such as that occurring on the trunks of certain trees

a hard mass of wood at the point where a branch joins the trunk of a tree
a cross section of this, usually roundish and cross-grained, visible in a piece of timber

a sensation of constriction, caused by tension or nervousnesshis stomach was tying itself in knots

pathol a lump of vessels or fibres formed in a part, as in a muscle
anatomy a protuberance on an organ or part

a unit of speed used by nautical vessels and aircraft, being one nautical mile (about 1.15 statute miles or 1.85 km) per hour

one of a number of equally spaced knots on a log line used to indicate the speed of a ship in nautical miles per hour

at a rate of knots very fast

tie someone in knots to completely perplex or confuse someone

tie the knot informal to get married

verb knots, knotting or knotted

(tr) to tie or fasten in a knot

to form or cause to form into a knot

(tr) to ravel or entangle or become ravelled or entangled

(tr) to make (an article or a design) by tying thread in an interlaced pattern of ornamental knots, as in macramé

Derived forms of knot

knotter, nounknotless, adjectiveknotlike, adjective

Word Origin for knot

Old English cnotta; related to Old High German knoto, Old Norse knūtr

British Dictionary definitions for knot (2 of 2)

knot²

/ (nɒt) /

noun

a small northern sandpiper, Calidris canutus, with a short bill and grey plumage

Word Origin for knot

C15: of unknown origin

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with knot

knot

see tie into knots; tie the knot.

knot

OTHER WORDS FOR knot

Idioms about knot

Origin of knot

OTHER WORDS FROM knot

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH knot

Words nearby knot

Other definitions for knot (2 of 2)

Origin of knot

Words related to knot

How to use knot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for knot (1 of 2)

Derived forms of knot

Word Origin for knot

British Dictionary definitions for knot (2 of 2)

Word Origin for knot

Other Idioms and Phrases with knot