KNOW (knew, known)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does know mean? 

• KNOW (noun)
  The noun KNOW has 1 sense:

1. the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

  Familiarity information: KNOW used as a noun is very rare.

• KNOW (verb)
  The verb KNOW has 11 senses:

1. be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

2. know how to do or perform something

3. be aware of the truth of something; have a belief or faith in something; regard as true beyond any doubt

4. be familiar or acquainted with a person or an object

5. have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations

6. accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

7. have fixed in the mind

8. have sexual intercourse with

9. know the nature or character of

10. be able to distinguish, recognize as being different

11. perceive as familiar

  Familiarity information: KNOW used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• KNOW (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

he is always in the know

Hypernyms ("know" is a kind of...):

knowing (a clear and certain mental apprehension)

• KNOW (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

cognise; cognize; know

Context example:

I know it's time

Verb group:

know (be aware of the truth of something; have a belief or faith in something; regard as true beyond any doubt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

keep track (keep informed of fully aware)

agnise; agnize; realise; realize; recognise; recognize (be fully aware or cognizant of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue know

Antonym:

ignore (be ignorant of or in the dark about)

Derivation:

knowable (capable of being known)

knower (a person who knows or apprehends)

knowing (a clear and certain mental apprehension)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Know how to do or perform something

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

Does your husband know how to cook?

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

be on the ball; be with it; know the score; know what's going on; know what's what (be well-informed)

control; master (have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of)

get the hang; master (be or become completely proficient or skilled in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be aware of the truth of something; have a belief or faith in something; regard as true beyond any doubt

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

Galileo knew that the earth moves around the sun

Verb group:

cognise; cognize; know (be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

anticipate; foreknow; foresee; previse (realize beforehand)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

knowable (capable of being known)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be familiar or acquainted with a person or an object

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

This flower is known as a Peruvian Lily

Verb group:

know (perceive as familiar)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They know themselves

Sense 5

Meaning:

Have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

experience; know; live

Context example:

I lived through two divorces

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

experience; go through; see (undergo or live through a difficult experience)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

taste (experience briefly)

live over; relive (experience again, often in the imagination)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

These men know the river

Derivation:

knowable (capable of being known)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

acknowledge; know; recognise; recognize

Context example:

We do not recognize your gods

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

accept (consider or hold as true)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 7

Meaning:

Have fixed in the mind

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

Do you know the poem well enough to recite it?

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

have down (have (something) mastered)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

knowable (capable of being known)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Have sexual intercourse with

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bang; be intimate; bed; bonk; do it; eff; fuck; get it on; get laid; have a go at it; have intercourse; have it away; have it off; have sex; hump; jazz; know; lie with; love; make love; make out; roll in the hay; screw; sleep together; sleep with

Context example:

Were you ever intimate with this man?

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

copulate; couple; mate; pair (engage in sexual intercourse)

Verb group:

make out; neck (kiss, embrace, or fondle with sexual passion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "know"):

have; take (have sex with; archaic use)

fornicate (have sex without being married)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 9

Meaning:

Know the nature or character of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

we all knew her as a big show-off

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

agnise; agnize; realise; realize; recognise; recognize (be fully aware or cognizant of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 10

Meaning:

Be able to distinguish, recognize as being different

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The child knows right from wrong

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

differentiate; distinguish; secern; secernate; separate; severalise; severalize; tell; tell apart (mark as different)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

knowable (capable of being known)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Perceive as familiar

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

I know this voice!

Hypernyms (to "know" is one way to...):

call back; call up; recall; recollect; remember; retrieve; think (recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection)

Verb group:

know (be familiar or acquainted with a person or an object)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

The ADAM gene products with known functions act in a highly diverse set of biological processes, including fertilization, neurogenesis, myogenesis, embryonic TGF-alpha release and the inflammatory response.

(ADAM Family Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

As a man of the world, Colonel, you know that men do not carry other people’s bills about in their pockets.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The metabolic function of the APC is not known.

(Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

A name by which an Administered Component is known in a specific Context.

(Administered Component Designation, NCI Thesaurus)

I only came here because I don't know many people and felt rather strange at first, you know.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"It knows for certain more'n a self-respectin' wolf ought to know," Henry agreed.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

How many? I don’t know.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

CD56 is a transmembrane glycoprotein also known as NCAM (Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule).

(Allogeneic CD56-positive CD3-negative Natural Killer Cells, NCI Thesaurus)

An agent, also known as altizide, belonging to the class of thiazide diuretics with antihypertensive activity.

(Althiazide, NCI Thesaurus)

Know how your device works. Keep instructions close by.

(Medical Device Safety, Food and Drug Administration)