From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_188_cknotknot1 /nɒt $ nɑːt/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 string/rope etcTIE a) a part where one or more pieces of string, rope, cloth etc have been tied or twisted together Are you any good at tying knots? Thread the string through the hoop and tie it in a knot. b) DCBa part where hair, a thread etc has become accidentally twisted together I can’t get the knots out of my hair.knot in There’s a knot in my shoelace.2 hair style a hair style in which your hair is arranged in a tight round shape on top of your head3 woodTI a hard round place in a piece of wood where a branch once joined the tree4 TMTTWship’s or aircraft's speed a unit for measuring the speed of ships and aircraft, equal to about 1,853 metres per hour5 peopleGROUP OF PEOPLE a small group of people standing close togetherknot of Knots of delegates stood around outside the conference centre. 6 feeling a tight uncomfortable feeling caused by a strong emotion such as fear or angerknot of a knot of anxiety in her stomach Her stomach was in knots.7 hard mass a tight painful place in a muscle → Gordian knot, → at a rate of knots at rate1(7), → tie the knot at tie1(5), → tie yourself (up) in knots at tie1(6)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1a: verbstie a knotMy uncle taught me how to tie knots.untie/undo a knotHe tried to untie the knot in the rope around his ankles.loosen a knot (=make it less tight)Mr Benson loosened the knot in his tie.adjectivestightThe knot in my shoelaces is really tight.looseShe tied the belt in a loose knot around her waist.
Examples from the Corpus
knot• Decent women let their hair grow and tied it in a knot on the back of the head.• There's a knot in my shoelace.• A knot of figures were huddled together on the walkway.• Circuits are normally flown with climb or take-off flap at eighty knots, reducing to seventy with landing flap on final approach.• But some philosophers get themselves tied in knots because they implicitly assume that the cat can have only one history.• My stomach was in knots, not knowing what I would find.• Outside the hotel, a little knot of bystanders had gathered to see what was happening.• I tied a monster knot, one I invented on the spot, and tugged it hard, Lincoln licking my ear.• Above the tangled knots of old fishing-nets, still supported by their floats, always hovered seabirds, waiting for a meal.• The knot of men at the bar had started talking about the elections.• I can't get the comb through all of these knots in your hair.• He loosened the tight knot round his throat.knot in• a knot in my shoulder muscleknot of• Tathir emerged from a knot of players.knotknot2 verb (knotted, knotting) 1 TIE[transitive] to tie together two ends or pieces of string, rope, cloth etc A pretty scarf was loosely knotted around her neck.2 MIX[intransitive] if hair, a thread etc knots, it becomes twisted together3 HARDCOMFORTABLE[intransitive, transitive] if a muscle or other part of your body knots, or is knotted, it feels tight and uncomfortable Fear and anxiety knotted her stomach.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
knot• Britt casually knotted a silk scarf around her neck.• Two basic skills are needed - knotting and weaving.• Chances are your stomach gets knotted and you feel distracted, restless, impatient.• The muscles in my shoulders knotted as I got up from the table.• He was an awe-inspiring sight, his beard jutting out fiercely and his brow knotted in anger.• He tied the rope to the tree, knotted it, and attached the other end to his car.• They both wore plain silk blouses, pearls and Hermès scarves knotted loosely around their throats.• He knotted the cord of his dressing-gown and left the room.• The roofs were made of sticks knotted to form a cone.From Longman Business Dictionaryknotknot /nɒtnɑːt/ noun1tie the knot journalism if two companies tie the knot, they join and become one companySYNMERGEBanks across the country tied the knot as a way to cut costs and boost earnings.2[countable] a measurement of the speed at which ships travel, equal to about 1,853 metres an hourOrigin knot1 Old English cnotta 