Word family noun knowledge the unknown adjective knowing knowledgeable known ≠ unknown verb know adverb knowingly ≠ unknowingly knowledgeably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishknowledgeknowl‧edge /ˈnɒlɪdʒ $ ˈnɑː-/ ●●● S2 W1 noun [uncountable] 1 KNOW somethingthe information, skills, and understanding that you have gained through learning or experienceknowledge of He did not have much knowledge of American history.knowledge about the need to increase knowledge about birth controlRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone knows about something rather than has knowledge of/about something:He didn’t know much about American history.2 INFORMATIONwhen you know about a particular situation or event, or the information you have about it Evans denied all knowledge of the robbery. I had no knowledge of this whatsoever until ‘The Times’ contacted me.(secure/safe) in the knowledge that Kay smiled, secure in the knowledge that she was right.be common/public knowledge (=be known about by everyone) Their affair is public knowledge.to (the best of) somebody’s knowledge (=used to say that someone may not know the true facts) To the best of my knowledge, the new project will be starting in June. To our knowledge, this is the first time it’s happened. ‘Is it true that she’s leaving the company?’ ‘Not to my knowledge (=I do not think so).’without somebody’s knowledge He was annoyed to find the contract had been signed without his knowledge. She acted with the full knowledge of her boss (=her boss knew about her action). Ministers publicly denied that they had prior knowledge of the attack (=they denied that they knew that it was going to happen). → general knowledge, → working knowledge at working1(9)GRAMMAR: Countable or uncountable?• Knowledge is an uncountable noun and is not used in the plural. You say: He has a lot of technical knowledge. ✗Don’t say: He has a lot of technical knowledges.• Knowledge is always followed by a singular verb: Expert knowledge is necessary.• When talking about something that you know or learn, you say a piece of knowledge: This is a useful piece of knowledge.COLLOCATIONSverbshave some knowledge of somethingThe book assumes that you already have some knowledge of physics.get knowledge (also gain/acquire knowledge formal)He gets all his knowledge about politics from watching the television.increase/improve your knowledgeIf you want to improve your knowledge of the language, you should go and live in France.In the past twenty years, we have greatly increased our knowledge of how the brain works.broaden/expand your knowledge (=increase your knowledge)The course is designed to help students broaden their knowledge of modern American literature. show/demonstrate your knowledgeThe test should be an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + knowledgegeneral knowledge (=knowledge about a lot of different subjects)The questions are intended to test your general knowledge.scientific/technical knowledgethe practical application of scientific knowledge specialist/expert knowledgeMaking profitable investments requires specialist knowledge. detailed knowledgeYou need to have a detailed knowledge of criminal law.first-hand/personal knowledge (=knowledge from experiencing something yourself)writers who had no first-hand knowledge of warbasic knowledge (=knowledge of the basic aspects of something)These things are obvious to anyone with even a basic knowledge of computers.in-depth/thorough knowledge (=detailed knowledge about all of a particular subject)He demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.considerable/extensive/vast knowledgeShe had considerable knowledge of antiques.intimate knowledge (=knowledge about something because you are involved in it)He seemed to have an intimate knowledge of prison life.inside knowledge (=knowledge that you have because you are part of a group)his inside knowledge gained from 20 years in the industrybackground knowledge (=knowledge that you need before you can understand or do something)The test will show what background knowledge a student brings to the course.phrasesa thirst for knowledge (=a desire to learn more)She arrived at college with a thirst for knowledge.somebody's breadth of knowledge (=when you know a lot about all the different parts of something)They lack his breadth of knowledge about the industry.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say 'learn knowledge'. Say gain knowledge or acquire knowledge. THESAURUSknowledge the facts and information that you have learned, and the understanding you have gainedOur knowledge of other cultures and societies has improved.scientific knowledgeexpertise special knowledge about how to do something, that you get through experience, training, or studyThe technical expertise was provided by a Japanese company.They need people with medical expertise.know-how practical knowledge about how to do something Business leaders often lack the local know-how to tackle problems in specific countries. financial know-howwisdom good sense and judgment, based on knowledge and experiencethe wisdom of the older family membersIt’s a matter of common wisdom that newspapers cannot be trusted.grasp how much you know about a situation or subject, and how well you understand itHe’s been praised for his grasp of the country’s economic problems.She has a good grasp of the language. Examples from the Corpus
knowledge• My knowledge of Japanese is limited to a few phrases.• He doesn't have the skills or knowledge needed to do the job.• scientific knowledgeknowledge about• Few parents have enough knowledge about college entry requirements to help their children.• American students have been accused of a lack of knowledge about geography.with the full knowledge of• Treatment options are then discussed by the entire team with the full knowledge of the client.From Longman Business Dictionaryknowledgeknowl‧edge /ˈnɒlɪdʒˈnɑː-/ noun [uncountable] facts, skills and understanding gained through learning or experienceGiven its market knowledge, Price Waterhouse was able to provide a useful insight into each supplier.knowledge ofAuditors’ knowledge of their client company means they are well-placed to judge the likelihood of company survival. → tacit knowledgeOrigin knowledge (1300-1400) knowledge “to acknowledge” ((13-18 centuries)), from know 