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

That’s when the self-described “epistemologist” — one who studies the construction of knowledge — betrayed himself as a man who does not think to do a rudimentary Google search on something about which he knows nothing.

From Washington Post

Click here for all the inspiration and know-how you need to make the most of adventures on the open road.

From Outside Online

As much as I say I like to be in the know, I also like to be in the know about what I don’t know.

From Ozy

I have to highlight that because it’s not easy to play in a position that you know nothing about.

From Washington Post

With a moderate level of effort and know-how, you can have a canine that is more fun to be around for everyone, including you.

From Outside Online

I don't know why or who's doing it, but it's the legacy…and it's a legacy that is so important to the culture.

From The Daily Beast

They know they will face either a swift backlash or deafening silence.

From The Daily Beast

What they say is, ‘We don’t approve of violence, but you know what?

From The Daily Beast

No one seems to know who that is—or why they would want to do such a thing.

From The Daily Beast

Scalise spoke briefly, adding little of substance, saying that the people back home know him best.

From The Daily Beast

She is quite true, but not wise, and your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing.

From Project Gutenberg

He came to the top of the stairs with a lamp in his hand, and wanted to know what the rumpus was about.

From Project Gutenberg

It seems very strange that I shall actually know Liszt at last, after hearing of him so many years.

From Project Gutenberg

Kind of a reception-room in there—guess I know a reception-room from a hole in the wall.

From Project Gutenberg

The policemen looked dull and heavy, as if never again would any one be criminal, and as if they had come to know it.

From Project Gutenberg

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.