know

know¹

—knower, n.

/noh/, v., knew, known, knowing, n.

v.t.

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 fol. 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.

v.i.

8. to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of fact or truth.

9. to be cognizant or aware, as of some fact, circumstance, or occurrence; have information, as about something.

10. 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.

n.

11. the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.

12. in the know, possessing inside, secret, or special information.

[bef. 900; ME knowen, knawen, OE gecnawan; c. OHG -cnahan, ON kna to know how, be able to; akin to L (g)novi, Gk gignóskein. See GNOSTIC, CAN¹]

Syn. 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.

know²

/noh, now/, n. Scot. and North Eng.

knoll¹.

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