Know | Mean of know in English Dictionary

/ˈnoʊ/

• Verb
• to have (information of some kind) in your mind
1. He knows a lot about the history of the town.
2. Do you know the answer?
3. I don't know her name.
4. Do you know what time it is?
5. I don't know the words to that song.
6. They knew a good deal about the problem.
7. She knows the rules of the game.
8. He knows everything about horses. = He knows all/everything there is to know about horses.
9. Do you know why she left this suitcase here?
10. Do you know where she went?
11. No one knows (for sure) how long it will take the fix the problem.
12. He knows perfectly/full well how to do it.
13. If you want the answer, ask someone who knows.
14. “What is she doing?” “Believe me, you don't want to know.” [=you would be shocked or upset to learn what she is doing]
15. He knows (all) about horses.
• to understand (something)
1. I don't know much about art, but I know what I like.
2. Scientists don't yet know why this happens.
3. I don't know what to do.
4. I don't know what you want me to do.
5. We had almost no money in those days. I don't know how we managed.
6. I don't know how you could be so careless.
7. You know perfectly/full well what I am trying to say.
8. “How could she do that?” “How should/would I know?!” [=I don't know, and you should not expect me to know]
• to have learned (something, such as a skill or a language)
1. She knows karate/CPR.
2. He knows Spanish.
3. Do you know how to type?
4. I would go swimming with you, but I don't know how (to swim). [=I never learned to swim]

• to be aware of (something)
1. She knows that many people will not believe her.
2. I know (that) this isn't easy for you, but you have to keep trying.
3. As soon as I turned on the light I knew that something was missing.
4. There was no way for me to know that he was your brother. = How was I to know that he was your brother?
5. It's wrong and you know it! [=you are aware that it is wrong]
6. “I'm sorry I threw out those bags.” “It's okay: you couldn't have known that I needed them.” = “It's okay: you had no way of knowing that I needed them.” = (Brit) “It's okay: you weren't to know that I needed them.”
7. You ought to know by now that she is always late.
8. It's impossible to know what will happen next. = There's no way of knowing what will happen next. = There's no knowing what will happen next.
9. If you've never been to Venice, you don't know what you're missing. [=you would enjoy going to Venice very much]
10. You know as well as I do that they expect us at 8:00.
11. You don't know how happy I am to see you. [=I am extremely happy to see you]
12. You'll never know what this means to me. = You can't know how much this means to me. [=this means a great deal to me]
13. As far as I know, they plan to arrive on Monday. [=I believe that they plan to arrive on Monday, but I am not sure]
14. We're planning a party for George. As you know, he'll be leaving the company next month.
15. I knew about the problem. [=I was aware of the problem]
16. Does she know about the meeting?
17. I don't know of any job openings right now. [=I am not aware of any job openings right now]
18. I know of her as a poet but not as a novelist. [=I am familiar with her poetry but not with her novels]
19. Do you know of a good lawyer? [=can you recommend a good lawyer?]
20. “Does he have relatives nearby?” “Not that I know of.” [=I don't think he has any relatives nearby]
• to be certain of (something)
1. Everyone else believes him, but I just know (that) he's lying.
2. I don't know if I can trust her. [=I am not sure that I can trust her]
3. It's hard to know exactly where the candidate stands on this issue.
4. I knew he'd forget.
5. I need to know if they are coming.
6. “She says she's not coming.” “I knew it!” [=I was sure that she wouldn't come]
7. I knew it all along. [=I was always sure of it]
8. “They're coming.” “Do you know [=are you certain], or are you just guessing?” = “Do you know for sure/certain, or are you just guessing?”
9. He thinks he got the job but he doesn't know for sure.
• to have met and talked to (someone)
1. “Do you know Clara?” “Yes, we've met.”
2. “Do you know Clara?” “We've met but I wouldn't say that I really know her.” [=I am not close to her; I don't know much about her]
3. I've known him for years. He's one of my best friends.
4. Knowing you, you'll be the first one there. [=because I know you so well, I expect you to be the first one there]
5. She's the kindest person I know.
6. To know him is to love him. [=the people who know him feel great affection for him]
7. We just bought a house here last month, and we're still getting to know our neighbors. [=we're still meeting our neighbors; we're still becoming acquainted with our neighbors]
• to have experience with (something)
1. She knows the city very well.
2. Do you know her painting/writing/work?
3. Do you know any good restaurants in this area?
4. We're still getting to know the neighborhood.
5. The building as we know it [=as it exists now] is quite different from how it looked when it was first built.
6. This is the end of the organization as we know it. [=the organization has changed and will never again be the same as it was]
• to have experienced (something)
1. someone who knows grief well [=someone who has experienced a lot of grief]
2. I've known failure and I've known success. [=I have failed and I have succeeded]
• to recognize (someone or something)
1. “How will I know her?” “She'll be wearing a red sweater.”
2. I would know [=recognize] that voice anywhere.
3. I know his face [=his face is familiar to me] but I don't remember his name.
4. I feel like I know this house, but I've never been here before.
5. I know many of the customers at the café by sight. [=I see them often enough that I recognize them]
• to recognize the difference between two things
1. know right from wrong
• to be sure that (someone or something) has a particular quality, character, etc., because of your experiences with that person or thing
1. I've worked with him for many years, and I know him to be an honest man.
2. I know the business to be legitimate.
• to think of (someone or something) as having a particular quality, character, etc.
1. His neighbors knew him as a quiet and friendly person, but the people he worked with saw a different side of him.
2. She is known as an expert in the field. [=people consider her an expert]
• very quickly or soon
1. We'll be there before you know it.
2. The game was over before I knew it.
• to know or understand better than someone else what should be done
1. I would take the highway myself, but you live here so you know best.
2. I'll do whatever you say. You know what's best.
• to be smart or sensible enough not to do something
1. You walked home alone? Don't you know better (than that)?
2. She'll know better than to trust them again. [=she will not trust them again]
3. There's no excuse for his behavior. He's old enough to know better.
4. Don't blame him. He's just a child and he doesn't know (any) better. [=he is too young, inexperienced, etc., to be expected to behave properly]
• to know or understand the truth about something
1. She tried to tell me that it wasn't her fault, but I know better. [=I know that it really was her fault]
• to know or understand more than other people
1. You can't tell him what to do. He always thinks that he knows better.
• to know that something that people think or say is true is not really true
1. She says she has no money but I know otherwise. [=I know that she does have money]
• to know anything about or care at all about (someone or something)
1. kids who don't know from sports
• to know something completely
1. He knew the process backward and forward.
2. She knows the business inside and out.
3. I know this town like the back of my hand.
• to understand what something or someone truly is
1. Now I know them for what they are—liars.
2. before scientists knew the disease for what it is—a virus
3. the friends who know me for what I am [=who truly know and understand me]
• to be able to recognize or identify something immediately
1. She knows a bargain when she sees it.
2. I know a liar when I see one.
3. I'm not sure what I want but I'll know it when I see it.
• to have experience with a situation, activity, or condition
1. He knows what it is to be poor. [=he has been poor]
2. They know what it's like to have no privacy.
• to be sure of what you want, like, think, etc.
1. She's a woman who knows her own mind.
• to understand yourself fully
1. I was so young then. I really didn't know myself.
• to tell something to someone
1. Let me know [=tell me] if you're going to the party.
2. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help. [=I would like to help; please tell me if you need help]
3. He's not sure what time he'll arrive—he is going to let us know.
4. She let the staff know her decision. [=she told the staff her decision]
• to tell people something
1. He let it be known [=he announced] that he intends to run for mayor.
2. She made her decision known to the staff. [=she told the staff her decision]
• to introduce yourself
1. The candidate made herself known to voters through an aggressive ad campaign.
2. the movie in which the actor first made himself known to the world
• to have never met with someone
1. Why should she trust me? She doesn't know me from Adam.
• to have little or no knowledge about (something or someone)
1. I don't know the first thing about cooking/sports/children.
• to know nothing
1. Don't take his word for it—he doesn't know his ass from his elbow.
• Noun
• having knowledge about something
1. people who are in the know
2. For those of you not in the know, Jane is the person who founded this organization.