known
- past participle of know1.
know1
- to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty: I know the situation fully.
- 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?
- to be cognizant or aware of: I know it.
- be acquainted with (a thing, place, person, etc.), as by sight, experience, or report: to know the mayor.
- to understand from experience or attainment (usually followed by how before an infinitive): to know how to make gingerbread.
- to be able to distinguish, as one from another: to know right from wrong.
- Archaic. to have sexual intercourse with.
- to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of fact or truth.
- to be cognizant or aware, as of some fact, circumstance, or occurrence; have information, as about something.
- the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.
- in the know, possessing inside, secret, or special information.
- 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.
Origin of know1
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words
establishedfamiliaracknowledgedrecognizedwell-knownobviouscommonnotoriousacceptednotedadmittedreceivedpatentplaincelebratedmanifestavowedpublishedconfessedcertifiedExamples from the Web for known
Contemporary Examples
Asia Bibi, as she is known, was arrested and sentenced to death.
He hits bottom at Rocamadour, a sanctuary in the Dordogne known as a citadel of faith devoted to Mary.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim PresidentPierre Assouline
January 9, 2015
What is known is that Peña Nieto bungled his response to the crisis.
This house on Parsioneros, after all, was only one of many such narco-tombs in Juarez, known as narcofosas.
Each CAP, also known as an “orbit,” consists on four aircraft.
Historical Examples
Soon as I looked at her it seemed to me I'd known her always.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
By some mysterious power you have ever known my heart better than I myself have known it.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
There's a broker I've known down-town—fellow by the name of Relpin.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
If he had known it, it was with the Dance of Death on the bridge of Lucerne.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
But I've known every bad place in it, and I've religiously put in your "Come, come, child!"
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
known
- the past participle of know
- specified and identifieda known criminal
- a fact or entity known
know
- (also intr; may take a clause as object) to be or feel certain of the truth or accuracy of (a fact, etc)
- to be acquainted or familiar withshe's known him five years
- to have a familiarity or grasp of, as through study or experiencehe knows French
- (also intr; may take a clause as object) to understand, be aware of, or perceive (facts, etc)he knows the answer now
- (foll by how) to be sure or aware of (how to be or do something)
- to experience, esp deeplyto know poverty
- to be intelligent, informed, or sensible enough (to do something)she knew not to go home yet
- (may take a clause as object) to be able to distinguish or discriminate
- archaic to have sexual intercourse with
- I know what I have an idea
- know what's what to know how one thing or things in general work
- you know informal a parenthetical filler phrase used to make a pause in speaking or add slight emphasis to a statement
- you never know things are uncertain
- in the know informal aware or informed
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for known
past participle of know.
know
v.
Old English cnawan (class VII strong verb; past tense cneow, past participle cnawen), "to know, perceive; acknowledge, declare," from Proto-Germanic *knew- (cf. Old High German bi-chnaan, ir-chnaan "to know"), from PIE root *gno- "to know" (cf. Old Persian xšnasatiy "he shall know;" Old Church Slavonic znati, Russian znat "to know;" Latin gnoscere; Greek *gno-, as in gignoskein; Sanskrit jna- "know"). Once widespread in Germanic, this form is now retained only in English, where however it has widespread application, covering meanings that require two or more verbs in other languages (e.g. German wissen, kennen, erkennen and in part können; French connaître, savoir; Latin novisse, cognoscere; Old Church Slavonic znaja, vemi). The Anglo-Saxons used two distinct words for this, witan (see wit) and cnawan.
Meaning "to have sexual intercourse with" is attested from c.1200, from the Old Testament. To not know one's ass from one's elbow is from 1930. To know better "to have learned from experience" is from 1704. You know as a parenthetical filler is from 1712, but it has roots in 14c. To know too much (to be allowed to live, escape, etc.) is from 1872. As an expression of surprise, what do you know attested by 1914.
know
n.
"inside information" (as in in the know), 1883; earlier "fact of knowing" (1590s), from know (v.).
Idioms and Phrases with known
know
In addition to the idioms beginning with know
- know all the answers
- know a thing or two
- know beans
- know better
- know by heart
- know by sight
- know enough to come in out of the rain
- know from Adam
- know if one is coming or going
- know it all
- know like a book
- know one's own mind
- know one's place
- know one's stuff
- know one's way around
- know only too well
- know the ropes
- know the score
- know where one stands
- know which side of one's bread is buttered
also see:
- 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