Word family noun knowledge the unknown adjective knowing knowledgeable known ≠ unknown verb know adverb knowingly ≠ unknowingly knowledgeably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishknowknow1 /nəʊ $ noʊ/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense knew /njuː $ nuː/, past participle known /nəʊn $ noʊn/) 1 have information [intransitive, transitive]KNOW something to have information about something Who knows the answer? There are instructions telling you everything you need to know. Didn’t you know that?know what/how/where etc Do you know what time it is? I don’t know where to go.know (something/nothing etc) about something I need to know more about the job before I decide whether to apply for it. Little is known about the author’s childhood. I know all about David and what he’s been up to!know (something/nothing etc) of something I wonder if he knew of the plan? Do you know of any good restaurants in the area? You know nothing of this business.know (that) We know that greenhouse gases can affect the climate. Let me know (=tell me) what time you’re planning to arrive. I thought you’d want to know immediately. If you must know, I was with James last night (=used when you are angry because someone wants to know something).without somebody/sb’s knowing He slipped out of the house without his parents knowing (=secretly). How did he know (=how did he find information about) our names?as you/we know ‘I’m divorced, as you know, ’ she said briefly.be known to do something Smoking is known to increase a person’s risk of developing lung cancer.GrammarIn more formal English, you say it is known that or it is known who/why/what etc: It is known that the drug causes infertility.It is not known how many people were killed.2 be sure [intransitive, transitive]SURE to be sure about something ‘Are you seeing Jim tomorrow?’ ‘I don’t know yet.’know (that) I know I won’t get the job. Ruth knew that she couldn’t continue in the relationship for much longer.know what/why/how etc I know exactly what you need!know if/whether The boy stared at him uncertainly, not knowing whether to believe him. I don’t know if I’ll be able to come.knowing (that) She forced herself to go out, knowing that she would feel more depressed if she stayed at home. How do you know (=what makes you sure) he won’t do it again?know somebody/something to be something It’s a story that I know to be true. I think he’s still living in Chicago, but I don’t know for sure. As far as I know, they’re arriving on Saturday (=used when you think something is true but are not sure). I doubt I’ll win, but you never know (=used when you cannot be sure about something, but something good might happen).► see thesaurus at sure3 be familiar with somebody/something [transitive]KNOW somebodyKNOW something to be familiar with a person, place etc I’ve known her for twenty years. Are you really thinking of leaving Kevin for a guy you barely know? Do you know the nightclub on the corner of Maine Street? I don’t know him very well. We’re still getting to know each other really.know somebody from something I know her from school.know somebody as something Many people knew him as a local businessman. Hepburn is best known for (=people are most likely to be familiar with) her roles in classic films such as ‘My Fair Lady’. The museum outlines the development of the city as we know it today. Does he know the way to your house (=know how to get there)? I grew up here; I know the place like the back of my hand (=I know it very well). I only know her by sight (=I often see her but have not really spoken to her). She didn’t know me from Adam (=she did not know me at all), but she was really helpful.knowing somebody/if I know somebody (=used to say that you expect someone to behave in a particular way because you know them well) Knowing Sumi, my note’s probably still in her pocket. He’ll be chatting up the women, if I know Ron!4 realize [intransitive, transitive]REALIZE to realize, find out about, or understand something She knew the risks involved. Hardly knowing what he was doing, Nick pulled out a cigarette.know (that) Suddenly she knew that something was terribly wrong.know how/what/why etc I didn’t know how difficult it would be.know to do something She knows not to tell anyone.(do you) know what I mean? (=used to ask if someone understands or has the same feeling as you) It’s nice to have a change sometimes. Know what I mean?if you know what I mean Sometimes it’s better not to ask too many questions, if you know what I mean. ‘I just felt so tired.’ ‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’ (=I understand, because I have had the same experience) I should have known it wouldn’t be easy. I might have known (=I am annoyed but not surprised) you would take that attitude.know exactly/precisely I know exactly how you feel.know perfectly well/full well/only too well He knew full well that what he was doing was dangerous.somebody will never know/no one will ever know Just take it. No one will ever know. ‘That’s not what I mean, and you know it, ’ he protested.if I had known/if I’d have known I wouldn’t have come if I’d known you were so busy. Little did she know (=she did not know) that years later she would have her own pool and luxury apartment in Florida. She knew nothing of what had happened earlier that day.5 skill/experience [transitive]EXPERIENCE to have learned a lot about something or be skilful and experienced at doing something I don’t know enough history to make a comparison. I taught him everything he knows. I know some French.know how to do something Do you know how to change a fuse?know about I have a friend who knows about antiques. Bessie knew nothing about football. Politicians know all about the power of language. I don’t know the first thing about (=I know nothing about) looking after children. I don’t really know what I’m doing (=I do not have enough skill and experience to deal with something) when it comes to cars. The staff are dedicated people who clearly know what they are talking about. She knew from experience that exams made her very nervous.know your job/subject/stuff (=be good at and know all you should about a job or subject) a decent manager who knows the ropes (=has a lot of experience) My cousin knows a thing or two (=knows a lot) about golf.know a song/tune/poem etc (=be able to sing a song, play a tune, say a poem etc because you have learned it) Do you know all the words to ‘As Time Goes By’? 6 know somebody’s qualities [transitive] to think that someone has particular qualitiesknow somebody as something I knew him as a hard-working, modest, and honest politician.know somebody for something In fact, I knew her for a tough-minded young woman.7 → know better8 → not know any better9 → know something inside out10 → know your way around something11 → make yourself known (to somebody)12 recognize [transitive]RECOGNIZE to be able to recognize someone or something Honestly, it had been so long, I hardly knew her.know somebody/something by something He looked very different, but I knew him by his voice.► see thesaurus at recognize13 → know somebody/something as something14 → know something from something15 experience [transitive]EXPERIENCE to have experience of a particular feeling or situation I don’t think he ever knew true happiness.know about I know all about being poor. I’ve never known (=have never experienced) this to happen in all the time I’ve worked here. I’ve never known him to shout (=he never shouts).16 → somebody/something is not known to be something17 → I’ve known somebody/something to do somethingSPOKEN PHRASES18 → you know19 → you know/do you know20 → I know21 → I don’t know22 → I don’t know how/why etc23 → I don’t know about you, but ...24 → I don’t know how to thank you/repay you25 → wouldn’t you know (it)26 → you don’t know27 → I wouldn’t know28 → what does somebody know?29 → how should I know?/how am I to know?/how do I know?30 → how was I to know?/how did I know?31 → be not to know32 → I ought to know33 → for all I know34 → not that I know of35 → Heaven/God/who/goodness knows!36 → knowing my luck37 → (well, ) what do you know?38 → if you know what’s good for you39 → you know who/what40 → there’s no knowing41 → let it be known/make it known (that)42 → not want to know43 → know the score44 → not know what hit you45 → know your place46 → know no bounds47 → somebody knows best48 → before you know it49 → know different/otherwise50 → know your own mind51 → you will be delighted/pleased etc to know (that)52 → it’s ... , Jim, but not as we know it → the next thing I/she etc knew at next1(6)GRAMMAR: Using the progressive• Know is not used in the progressive. You say: I know who that is.Do you know this song? ✗Don’t say: I’m knowing who that is. | Are you knowing this song?• However, the participle knowing is sometimes used: Knowing she would appreciate it, I offered to help.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
know• I asked several people where Paul was, but no one knew.• He knew a lot about baseball, and about how to pick great players.• How much do you know about the Moore case?• I didn't know any of the songs they were singing.• Do you know any Polish?• Do you know anyone who can repair a boiler?• I don't know anything about football.• "Do you know Boston at all?" "Yes, I went to college there."• Ask Eric about your brakes - he knows cars.• Do you two know each other?• I knew he was ill, but I didn't realize he had cancer.• Everyone who knew her described her as a kind, generous person.• Although we worked for him for years, Cathy was the only one who knew him well.• Everyone knew immediately how serious the situation was.• As soon as the phone rang, we knew something terrible must have happened.• Do you know that Hitchcock movie about a man who is being chased?• Carol doesn't know the city very well yet.• Do you know where Andy is?• "Are you going home for Christmas?" "I don't know yet."• I just know your mother will love this necklace.be known to do something• The hormone is known to affect reproduction and gonadal function, and to have an influence on the growth of tumours.• Yet some companies are known to be keen to offer a wide fund choice from well regarded external fund managers.• They are known to counteract both the vasoconstriction and the enhanced platelet aggregation present in the initial phase of migraine.• Many population dynamics models are known to exhibit chaos.• Joe never forged letters that were known to exist.• She is known to have helped the sick in the hospitals of Rome and to have given generously to the needy.• Five other fighters are known to have tested positive.• Watanabe was known to take a more hawkish line than his predecessors on defence issues.you never know• He might say yes. You never know.• I'd love to be a doctor, but you have to be very clever for that. Still, you never know.• I don't think I'll ever get married, but you never know.• You never know, Paul might love it.• Why don't you ask for a raise? You never know, they could say yes.knowing somebody/if I know somebody• In retrospect, knowing what I know now, I guess he wanted to make up for what happened during the war.knew nothing of• He knew nothing of her trip to Bath, and supposed she had only been to visit Liddy.• The new Welf candidate was Otto, brother of the count Palatine Henry, a man who knew nothing of imperial affairs.• He knew nothing of Odysseus; they had not left Troy together and no word of him had reached Nestor since.• I told him I knew nothing of that.• Smith knew nothing of the idea of organic evolution that Charles Darwin was to enunciate some decades later.• Codinha said he had no evidence to dispute the Clintons' assertion that they knew nothing of the missing records' whereabouts.• I knew nothing of what had been growing between them in the mails.• She knew nothing of Wuthering Heights or Heathcliff.knows a thing or two• Dave Wood was our 1991 Aquachamp and knows a thing or two about fish.• He also knows a thing or two about golf.never known ... to• I have never known any conductor to accept a tip, to their credit.• In her lifetime she was never known to cry, never known to complain.• All her magic was used to help the people, and she was never known to hurt anyone who was good.• This country has never known what to make of the District of Columbia.• Ezra had never known him to take or even talk about such chances.• Jay had never known it to work for more than weeks.knowknow2 noun → in the knowOrigin know1 Old English cnawan 