know

English

/nəʊ/, /noʊ/

verb
Definitions
  • (transitive) To perceive the truth or factuality of; to be certain of or that.
  • (transitive) To be aware of; to be cognizant of.
  • (transitive) To be acquainted or familiar with; to have encountered.
  • (transitive) To experience.
  • (transitive) To be able to distinguish, to discern, particularly by contrast or comparison; to recognize the nature of.
  • (transitive) To recognize as the same (as someone or something previously encountered) after an absence or change.
  • To understand or have a grasp of through experience or study.
  • (transitive) To have sexual relations with. This meaning normally specified in modern English as e.g. to ’know someone in the biblical sense’ or to ‘know Biblically.’
  • (intransitive) To have knowledge; to have information, be informed.
  • (intransitive) To be or become aware or cognizant.
  • (intransitive) To be acquainted (with another person).
  • (transitive) To be able to play or perform (a song or other piece of music).

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English knowen (known) inherited from Old English cnāwan (know, recognise, perceive) inherited from *knāan inherited from Proto-Germanic *knēaną (know) derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (know, recognize), *ǵneh₃- (know, recognize).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*ǵneh₃-

Gloss

know, recognize

Concept
Semantic Field

Cognition

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

知

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms