know

¹

[ noh ]

verb (used with object)

, knew, known, know·ing.

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, know·ing.

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.

1. knoll ¹.

know

/ nəʊ /

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

noun

1. in the know informal.
   aware or informed

Derived Forms

• ˈknowable, adjective
• ˈknower, noun

Other Words From

• knower noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of know¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English knowen, knawen, Old English gecnāwan; cognate with Old High German -cnāhan, Old Norse knā “to know how, be able to”; akin to Greek gignṓskein, Latin (g)nōscere, Sanskrit jñātá “known”; can ¹, gnostic

Word History and Origins

Origin of know¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

Example Sentences

He did so because he knew he had no chance to get the votes he needed from the opposition.

From BBC

Further, they found that stream emissions make up a much greater portion of the annual nitrous oxide budget than previously known.

From Science Daily

Murach commented that "it's interesting that one of the things that is known to cause cancer also regulates the muscle growth response to exercise. This suggests shared regulation and that 'growth is growth.'"

From Science Daily

Notably, about 65% of those with a detected variant had no known prior personal or family history of the conditions.

From Science Daily

One large part of the cortex, the motor cortex, is known to control the body's voluntary muscle movements, including those involved in speech, while another large section, the auditory cortex, is known to control hearing.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• appreciate
• experience
• have
• learn
• notice
• perceive
• realize
• recognize
• see

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 Thesaurus.com.