known

[ nohn ]

/ noʊn /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR known ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

past participle of know¹.

noun

a known quantity.

Nearby words

Definition for known (2 of 2)

know

[ noh ]

/ noʊ /

verb (used with object), knew, known, know·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), knew, known, know·ing.

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.

noun

the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.

Origin of know

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 Latin (g)nōvī, Greek gignṓskein. See gnostic, can¹

SYNONYMS FOR know

1 Know, comprehend, understand imply being aware of meanings. To know is to be aware of something as a fact or truth: He knows the basic facts of the subject. I know that he agrees with me. To comprehend is to know something thoroughly and to perceive its relationships to certain other ideas, facts, etc. To understand is to be fully aware not only of the meaning of something but also of its implications: I could comprehend all he said, but did not understand that he was joking.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR know ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsknow·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for known

Asia Bibi, as she is known, was arrested and sentenced to death.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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 President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
What is known is that Peña Nieto bungled his response to the crisis.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This house on Parsioneros, after all, was only one of many such narco-tombs in Juarez, known as narcofosas.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Each CAP, also known as an “orbit,” consists on four aircraft.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says|Dave Majumdar|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Every land is considered with reference to the fatherland, other known lands, the equator, and the poles.
The School System of Norway|David Allen Anderson
No one of the members of these four classes is known to possess vibratile cilia.
Marvels of Pond-life|Henry J. Slack
From the recipients of her generosity more is known than could have been learned from her.
Alice Cogswell Bemis|Anonymous
I myself would have made light of it had I known what was still in store for the Esmeralda and her company.
The Crack of Doom|Robert Cromie
No, Pre Flix had not known, but he certainly did come on purpose and on purpose he meant to stay.
A Tatter of Scarlet|S. R. Crockett

British Dictionary definitions for known (1 of 2)

known

/ (nəʊn) /

verb

the past participle of know

adjective

specified and identifieda known criminal

noun

a fact or entity known

British Dictionary definitions for known (2 of 2)

know

/ (nəʊ) /

verb knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

(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

noun

in the know informal aware or informed

Derived Formsknowable, adjectiveknower, noun

Word Origin for know

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

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

Word Origin and History for known (1 of 3)

known

past participle of know.

Word Origin and History for known (1 of 3)

know

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.

Word Origin and History for known (2 of 3)

know

"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

known

verb

noun

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Nearby words

Definition for known (2 of 2)

know

verb (used with object), knew, known, know·ing.

verb (used without object), knew, known, know·ing.

noun

Origin of know

Examples from the Web for known

British Dictionary definitions for known (1 of 2)

known

verb

adjective

noun

British Dictionary definitions for known (2 of 2)

know

verb knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

noun

Word Origin for know

Word Origin and History for known (1 of 3)

known

Word Origin and History for known (1 of 3)

know

Word Origin and History for known (2 of 3)

know

Idioms and Phrases with known

know