Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense knows, present participle knowing, past tense knew, past participle known
1. verb [no cont]
If you know a fact, a piece of information, or an answer, you have it correctly in your mind.
I don't know the name of the place. [VERB noun]
I know that you led a rifle platoon during the Second World War. [VERB that]
'People like doing things for nothing.'—'I know they do.' [VERB that]
I don't know what happened to her husband. [VERB wh]
'How did he meet your mother?'—'I don't know.' [VERB]
We all know about his early experiments in flying. [VERB + about]
They looked younger than I knew them to be. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
Radon is known to be harmful to humans in large quantities. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
It is not known whether the bomb was originally intended for the capital itself. [beV-ed wh]
It's always been known that key figures in the government do very well for themselves. [beVERB-ed that]
Synonyms: have knowledge of, see, understand, recognize More Synonyms of know
2. verb [no cont]
If you know someone, you are familiar with them because you have met them and talked to them before.
Gifford was a friend. I'd known him for nine years. [VERB noun]
Do you two know each other? [VERB noun]
He doesn't know anybody in London. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: be acquainted with, recognize, associate with, be familiar with More Synonyms of know
3. verb [no cont]
If you say that you know of something, you mean that you have heard about it but you do not necessarily have a lot of information about it.
We know of the incident but have no further details. [VERB + of]
The president admitted that he did not know of any rebels having surrendered so far. [VERBof noun]
I know of no one who would want to murder Albert. [VERB + of]
4. verb [no cont]
If you knowabout a subject, you have studied it or taken an interest in it, and understand part or all of it.
Hire someone with experience, someone who knows about real estate. [VERB + about]
She didn't know anything about music but she liked to sing. [V amount + about]
Synonyms: be familiar with, experience, understand, ken [Scottish] More Synonyms of know
5. verb [no cont]
If you know a language, you have learned it and can understand it.
It helps to know French and Creole if you want to understand some of the lyrics. [VERB noun]
Rachel already knows as many words in German as she does in English. [VERB noun]
Her new classmates knew no Latin. [VERB noun]
6. verb [no cont]
If you know something such as a place, a work of art, or an idea, you have visited it, seen it, read it, or heard about it, and so you are familiar with it.
No matter how well you know Paris, it is easy to get lost. [VERB noun]
I don't know the play, I've just come to see it. [VERB noun]
7. verb [no cont]
If you knowhow to do something, you have the necessary skills and knowledge to do it.
The health authorities now know how to deal with the disease. [V wh-to-inf]
We know what to do to make it work. [V wh-to-inf]
8. verb [no cont]
You can say that someone knowsthat something is happening when they become aware of it.
Then I saw a gun under the hall table so I knew that something was wrong. [VERB that]
The first I knew about it was when I woke up in the ambulance. [VERB + about]
9. verb [no cont]
If you know something or someone, you recognize them when you see them or hear them.
Would she know you if she saw you on the street? [VERB noun]
I thought I knew the voice. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: recognize, remember, identify, recall More Synonyms of know
10. verb [no cont]
If someone or something is knownas a particular name, they are called by that name.
The disease is more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease. [beVERB-ed + as]
He was born as John Birks Gillespie, but everyone knew him as Dizzy. [VERB noun + as]
He was the only boy in the school who was known by his Christian name and not hissurname. [beVERB-ed + by]
...British Nuclear Fuels, otherwise known as BNFL. [VERB-ed]
11. verb
If you know someone or something as a person or thing that has particular qualities, you consider that they have those qualities.
Lots of people know her as a very kind woman. [VERB noun + as]
We know them as inaccurate and misleading property descriptions. [VERB noun as noun]
Kemp knew him for a meticulous officer. [VERB noun for noun]
12. verb
If you know someone as a person with a particular job or role, you are familiar with them in that job or role, rather than in any other.
Most of us know her as the woman who used to present the television news. [VERB noun as noun]
The soldiers–all of whom we knew as neighbours–stood around pointing guns at us. [VERB noun as noun]
13. See also knowing, known
14.
See as we know it
15.
See to get to know sb
16.
See heaven/god/lord/christ etc knows
17.
See I know
18.
See I know
19.
See I know (how you feel, etc)
20.
See I don't know (about that)
21.
See I don't know about you
22.
See I don't know how/what
23.
See (I'm) blessed/damned/buggered if I know
24.
See in the know
25.
See you know what I mean
26.
See you never know
27.
See not that I know of
28.
See sb wasn't to know/how was sb to know
29.
See what does sb know
30.
See what do you know
31.
See you know
32.
See you know
33.
See you know
34.
See you don't know
35. to know something backwards
36. to know best
37. to know better
38. to know no bounds
39. to know what side your bread is buttered on
40. to know something for a fact
41. as far as I know
42. not to know the first thing about something
43. to know full well
44. to let someone know
45. not to know the meaning of the word
46. to know your own mind
47. for reasons best known to oneself
48. to know the ropes
know in British English
(nəʊ)
verbWord forms: knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn)(mainly tr)
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
11. know what's what
12. you know
13. you never know
noun
14. in the know
Derived forms
knowable (ˈknowable)
adjective
Word origin
Old English gecnāwan; related to Old Norse knā I can, Latin noscere to come to know
know in American English
(noʊ)
verb transitiveWord forms: knew, known, ˈknowing
1.
to have a clear perception or understanding of; be sure of or well informed about
to know the facts
2.
to be aware or cognizant of; have perceived or learned
to know that one is loved
3.
to have a firm mental grasp of; have securely in the memory
to know the multiplication tables
4.
a.
to be acquainted or familiar with
I knew him well
b.
to experience
she has known both pleasure and pain
5.
to have understanding of or skill in as a result of study or experience
to know music
6.
to recognize
I'd know that face anywhere
7.
to recognize as distinct; distinguish
to know right from wrong
8. Archaic
to have sexual intercourse with
verb intransitive
9.
to have knowledge
10.
to be sure, informed, or aware
Idioms:
in the know
know better
know best
know from
you know
Derived forms
knowable (ˈknowable)
adjective
knower (ˈknower)
noun
Word origin
ME knowen < OE cnawan, akin to OHG -cnāhan < IE base *ĝen-, *ĝnō-, to know, apprehend > can1, ken, L gnoscere, to know, Gr gignōskein
More idioms containing
know
the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing
know something like the back of your hand
better the devil you know
not know whether you are coming or going
know someone or something inside out
know which side your bread is buttered on
know something backwards
not know someone from Adam
know your onions
know the score
someone does not know the meaning of the word
Examples of 'know' in a sentence
know
Perhaps his wife did know about this but chose not to share all the details at work.
The Sun (2016)
From past experience we know staff terms and conditions can be targeted for savings.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We look each other in the eye and we know if something is right.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There was no one who went before you and knew all the answers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No one wants to know about that.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
But he will know from experience it could be a lot worse.
The Sun (2017)
People in the know think something else might be up.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I knew all their names and used to pop in at least three times a week.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I have struck up conversations with numerous people who know the name of my dog but not mine.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
As a father I know you will understand how we feel as a family.
The Sun (2016)
What do they know about the arts?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He will know all the names referenced above.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They know experience is a much more powerful teacher than just presentation.
Christianity Today (2000)
Well we all know the answer to that one.
The Sun (2014)
Because the rest of the world already knows the names of those involved.
The Sun (2016)
This is about understanding yourself and knowing your emotional limits.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The answer should be known by the summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Contact us to let us know your experiences.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They know and understand the hand signals.
The Sun (2013)
Others are always asking you for advice whether you know the answer or not.
The Sun (2015)
The only negative is a family member making their opinions known about how unfair their lot is compared to yours.
The Sun (2015)
Most of what we know about his character comes from what other people say about him in helpful expository exchanges.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She knew instantly something was wrong.
The Sun (2014)
But do you know something strange.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It would be interesting to know the name of the justice who freed Malory.
Christina Hardyment Malory: The Life and Times of King Arthur's Chronicler (2005)
It is packed with names you know, or think you know.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Quotations
To really know someone is to have loved and hated him in turnMarcel Jouhandeau
What you don't know can't hurt you
Know thyself
In other languages
know
British English: know /nəʊ/ VERB
fact If you know something, you have that information in your mind.
You should know the answer to that question.
American English: know
Arabic: يَعْرِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: saber
Chinese: 知道
Croatian: znati
Czech: vědět
Danish: vide
Dutch: weten
European Spanish: saber
Finnish: tietää
French: savoir
German: wissen
Greek: ξέρω
Italian: conoscere
Japanese: 知っている
Korean: 알다
Norwegian: vite
Polish: wiedzieć
European Portuguese: saber
Romanian: a ști
Russian: знать
Latin American Spanish: saber
Swedish: veta
Thai: รู้
Turkish: bilmek
Ukrainian: знати
Vietnamese: biết
British English: know /nəʊ/ VERB
person If you know a person, you have met them and spoken to them.
I didn't know any of the other people in the class.
American English: know
Arabic: يَعْرِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: conhecer
Chinese: 认识
Croatian: poznavati
Czech: znátkoho
Danish: kende
Dutch: kennen
European Spanish: conocer
Finnish: tuntea
French: connaître
German: wissen
Greek: γνωρίζω
Italian: conoscere
Japanese: 知っている
Korean: 알다
Norwegian: kjenne
Polish: znać
European Portuguese: conhecer
Romanian: a cunoaște
Russian: общаться
Latin American Spanish: conocer
Swedish: känna
Thai: รู้จัก
Turkish: tanımak
Ukrainian: бути знайомим
Vietnamese: biết
All related terms of 'know'
I know
You say ' I know ' to show that you agree with what has just been said .
know-all
If you say that someone is a know-all , you are critical of them because they think that they know a lot more than other people.
know best
to be the best guide, authority, etc.
know from
→ see from (sense 11 )
know-how
Know-how is knowledge of the methods or techniques of doing something, especially something technical or practical .
you know
You use you know to emphasize or to draw attention to what you are saying .
don't know
a person who has not reached a definite opinion on a subject, esp as a response to a questionnaire
know better
to be aware that one could or should act better or think more correctly
know-nothing
an ignorant person
I know what
I have an idea
in the know
If you are in the know about something, especially something that is not known about or understood by many people, you have information about it.
know backwards
to understand completely
know by name
to have heard of without having met
know-it-all
If you say that someone is a know-it-all , you are critical of them because they think that they know a lot more than other people.
need-to-know
done or given only when it is essential that someone knows something
to know best
If you say that a particular person knows best , you mean that they have a lot of experience and should therefore be trusted to make decisions for other people.
you-know-who
a person whose name one does not want to say , but who is known to the person to whom one is speaking
know by sight
to be familiar with the appearance of without having personal acquaintance
know the area
An area is a particular part of a town, a country, a region, or the world.
know the ropes
to have a thorough understanding of a particular sphere of activity
know the score
If you know the score , you know what the real facts of a situation are and how they affect you, even though you may not like them.
to know better
If someone knows better than to do something, they are old enough or experienced enough to know it is the wrong thing to do.
you don't know
You can say ' You don't know ' in order to emphasize how strongly you feel about the remark you are going to make.
you know what
a thing or person that the speaker cannot or does not want to specify
you never know
You say ' You never know ' or ' One never knows ' to indicate that it is not definite or certain what will happen in the future , and to suggest that there is some hope that things will turn out well .
as we know it
If you talk about a thing or system as we know it , you are referring to the form in which it exists now and which is familiar to most people.
if you must know
You say ' if you must know ' when you tell someone something that you did not want them to know and you want to suggest that you think they were wrong to ask you about it.
know one's onions
to be fully acquainted with a subject
know one's place
to be aware of one's inferior position
know one's stuff
If you say that someone knows their stuff , you mean that they are good at doing something because they know a lot about it.
know what's what
to know how one thing or things in general work
know your onions
to know a great deal about a particular subject
what do you know
People sometimes say ' What do you know ! ' when they are very surprised about something.
as far as I know
You can use far in expressions like ' as far as I know ' and ' so far as I remember ' to indicate that you are not absolutely sure of the statement you are about to make or have just made, and you may be wrong .
I know the feeling
You say ' I know the feeling ' to show that you understand or feel sorry about a problem or difficult experience that someone is telling you about.
know only by name
to be familiar with the name of but not know personally
know when to stop
If you say that someone does not know when to stop , you mean that they do not control their own behaviour very well and so they often annoy or upset other people.
to know full well
If you say that a person knows full well that something is true , especially something unpleasant , you are emphasizing that they are definitely aware of it, although they may behave as if they are not.
to know no bounds
If you say that a feeling or quality knows no bounds , you are emphasizing that it is very strong or intense .
to know the ropes
If you know the ropes , you know how a particular job or task should be done .
what does sb know
You can use expressions such as What does she know ? and What do they know? when you think that someone has no right to comment on a situation because they do not understand it.
know better than to
not to be so stupid as to
know one's own mind
to know one's own real thoughts, desires , etc.
know someone by sight
If you know someone by sight , you can recognize them when you see them, although you have never met them and talked to them.
know something backwards
to know something very well
not that I know of
You say ' Not that I know of ' when someone has asked you whether or not something is true and you think the answer is 'no' but you cannot be sure because you do not know all the facts .
to get to know sb
If you get to know someone, you find out what they are like by spending time with them.
to let someone know
If you let someone know something, you tell them about it or make sure that they know about it.
I don't know about you
You can say ' I don't know about you ' to indicate that you are going to give your own opinion about something and you want to find out if someone else feels the same.
I don't know how/what
You use I don't know in expressions which indicate criticism of someone's behaviour . For example , if you say that you do not know how someone can do something, you mean that you cannot understand or accept them doing it.
Chinese translation of 'know'
know
(nəu)
Word forms:ptknew
Word forms:ppknown
vt
[facts, dates]知道 (zhīdào)
⇒ I don't know her address.我不知道她的地址。 (Wǒ bù zhīdào tā de dìzhǐ.)
[language]懂 (dǒng)
⇒ I don't know Chinese very well.我不怎么懂汉语。 (Wǒ bù zěnme dǒng hànyǔ.)
(= be acquainted with)[person, place, subject]认(認)识(識) (rènshi)
⇒ I've known David for years.我认识戴维很多年了。 (Wǒ rènshi Dàiwéi hěn duō nián le.)
⇒ He didn't know London very well.他不怎么熟悉伦敦。 (Tā bù zěnme shúxī Lúndūn.)
(= recognize) 识(識)别(別) (shíbié)
⇒ He knew a good bargain when he saw one.他很会识别便宜货。 (Tā hěn huì shíbié piányihuò.)
to know that ... 知道 ... (zhīdào ... )
⇒ I knew that he lived in Glasgow.我知道他住在格拉斯哥。 (Wǒ zhīdào tā zhù zài Gélāsīgē.)
⇒ I knew at once that something was wrong.我马上就知道有点不对头。 (Wǒ mǎshàng jiù zhīdào yǒu diǎn bù duìtóu.)
to know where/when知道何处(處)/何时(時) ... (zhīdào héchù/héshí ... )
do you know how to swim?你会(會)游泳吗(嗎)？ (nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma?)
everyone knew him as Robert每个(個)人都叫他罗(羅)伯特 (měigè rén dōu jiào tā Luóbótè)
to get to know sb逐渐(漸)开(開)始了解某人 (zhújiàn kāishǐ liǎojiě mǒurén)
to let it be known that ... 使人们(們)间(間)接了解到 ... (shǐ rénmen jiànjiē liǎojiě dào ... )
to know sth about sb/sth知道某人/某事的情况(況) (zhīdào mǒurén/mǒushì de qíngkuàng)
⇒ She didn't know anything about music.她对音乐一窍不通。 (Tā duì yīnyuè yī qiào bù tōng.)
to know about sth听(聽)说(說)过(過)某事 (tīngshuō guo mǒushì)
I don't know about that我不这(這)么(麼)认(認)为(為) (wǒ bù zhème rènwéi)
yes, I know对(對)，的确(確)如此 (duì, díquè rúcǐ)
you never know很难(難)讲(講) (hěn nán jiǎng)
to know of sth/sb听(聽)说(說)过(過)某事/某人 (tīngshuō guo mǒushì/mǒurén)
you know (used for emphasis) 你得知道 (nǐ děi zhīdào)
⇒ The conditions in there are awful, you know.你得知道，那里的条件很差。 (Nǐ děi zhīdào, nàlǐ de tiáojiàn hěn chà.)
(in explanations) 你知道的 (nǐ zhīdào de)
⇒ the white dress, you know, the one with the short sleeves白色连衣裙，你知道的，就是短袖的那件 (báisè liányīqún, nǐ zhīdào de, jiùshì duǎnxiù de nà jiàn)
to know better (than to do sth)明白而不至于(於)(做某事) (míngbai ér bù zhìyú (zuò mǒushì))
you should know better than to do that你应(應)该(該)知道不该(該)那样(樣)做 (nǐ yīnggāi zhīdào bù gāi nàyàng zuò)