know

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Translations 1.4 Noun 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.5 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English from Old English cnāwan. Cognates include German kennen, and, from Indo-European, Latin cognoscō (Spanish conocer, French connaître, Italian conoscere), Ancient Greek γνωρίζω (gnōrizō), “‘I know’”) and γνῶσις (gnōsis), “‘knowledge’”), and Persian شناختن (šenāxtæn), “‘to know’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /nəʊ/, SAMPA: /n@U/
• (US) IPA: /noʊ/, SAMPA: /noU/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -əʊ
• Homophones: no, noh, now (in some dialects or accents, but not in standard English)

[edit] Verb

to know (third-person singular simple present knows, present participle knowing, simple past knew, past participle known)

to know (third-person singular simple present knows, present participle knowing, simple past and past participle knowed) (dialectal) See Usage notes

1. (intransitive) To be certain or sure about.

   I know that I’m right and you’re wrong.

   He knew something terrible was going to happen.

2. (transitive) To be acquainted or familiar with; to have encountered.

   I know your mother, but I’ve never met your father.

3. (transitive) To have knowledge of; to have memorised information, data, or facts about.

   He knows more about 19th century politics than one would expect.

   She knows where I live.

   Let me do it. I know how it works.

4. (transitive) To understand (a subject).

   She knows chemistry better than anybody else.

5. (transitive, archaic, Biblical) To have sexual relations with.
   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible (Authorized Version)^[1], Genesis 4:1

     And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

6. (intransitive) To be informed about.

   Do you know that Michelle and Jack are getting divorced? — Yes, I know.

7. (transitive) To be aware of (a person's) intentions.

   I won’t lend you any money. You would never pay me back; I know you.

8. (transitive) To experience.

   Their relationship knew ups and downs.

[edit] Usage notes

The dialect verb form is inflected in a non-standard way. In addition the different simple past and past, the form knows is used for both the singular and plural of all persons of the present tense: "I knows", "you knows", "he knows", "we knows", "you knows", and "they knows".

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Related terms

• get to know

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

know (plural knows)

1. knowledge

[edit] Derived terms

• in the know

[edit] References

• know in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• know in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913