🧠 To have information 🤝 To be familiar 🛠️ To have skill 👀 To recognize ❤️ To have sex

to know

∞ 1.0

To be familiar with someone, something, or a place from before

verb
/noʊ/

: conocer

She doesn't just know the theory; she has practical experience too.
get to know
know words
come to know

That's that's just, you know how most things work.

Examples

I am now a global citizen, and I know my teaching has been impacted drastically.

Academic text (2015)
You just need to know where you are going next.
And the first step is I know where I am.
Would you say you know more songs from this band?
Do you two know each other from school?

Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
How do you know him?

I'm Not Gay : A Musical (2023)
I mean, I know who you are.

Stagecoach (1939)
You see, you don't know her as well as I do.

Sleuth (1972)
How well do you know this fellow Venner?

Straw Dogs (1971)
I know this city well because I grew up here.

Synonyms

to know about

vsto know

∞ 1.5

Have information about a person or situation

is based on personal familiarity or direct experience rather than just information

Idioms

you know what

Informal

797 7.5

To say something new or surprising to get someone's attention

as you know

220 1.0

Tell someone that they already know this

in the know

Informal

20 8.1

A person who knows secret or new information most people do not have

to know what's what

Informal

15 6.7

To understand a situation or subject well

to know the score

Informal

11 4.9

Understand what really happens in a situation, often when it is bad

to know one's own mind

3 5.6

To be sure about what you want and act on it

to know where the bodies are buried

Informal

3 9.9

To have secret information about hidden bad things in a group

to know which end is up

Informal

1 7.8

To understand how things work in a place or job

to know where it's been

Informal

1 8.2

To understand if something is clean and where it has been

to know beans about

Informal

1 9.7

Have almost no idea about something

to know what is what

Informal

1 6.4

To understand what is really happening because of experience

to know which side your bread is buttered on

Informal

1 9.1

Act to protect your own interests

to know (someone) from Adam

1 9.4

To have no idea who a person is at all

to know someone from Eve

1 9.9

Not to know a person at all

for me to know and you to find out

Informal

9.5

Said when someone will not tell and the other person must find out

to know each other's business

7.0

Be aware of other people's private lives

to know from a bar of soap

Informal

9.9

To not understand anything about a subject

to know your beans

9.1

To be an expert in a subject like cooking or computers

to know one's shit

Offensive

9.9

To have a lot of skill and information about a subject

to know someone from Adam

8.9

To not recognize a person at all

to know someone from a can of paint

Informal

9.9

To not recognize someone at all because you have never met them

if you know, you know

Slang

9.9

Only people with the same knowledge or experience understand this

it takes one to know one

Offensive

8.1

A reply saying the person who criticizes has the same fault

poet and not know it

Informal

9.9

A person who says or writes something that sounds like a poem without knowing it

you know nothing, Jon Snow

Offensive

9.9

Say someone does not know about something, often as a joke

Phrasal Verbs

to know about

∞ 1.5

Have information about a person or situation

to let me know

637 1.8

Tell me when something changes or you have news

to never know

366 3.5

You cannot be sure what will happen

to know what's going on

294 3.1

To be aware of what is happening

to know nothing

279 3.6

To have no idea about something

to let us know

155 1.0

To tell us something so we can answer

to know one's way around

29 4.8

Can find things and use a place or topic easily

to know by heart

22 2.6

Remember something so well that you can say it without reading

to know apart

Archaic

3.2

To tell the difference between two similar people or things

Compounds

don't-know

Specialized

588 9.6

A person who answers 'I don't know' to a question in a poll or survey

know-how

136 4.1

Practical skill and experience for doing technical tasks

need-to-know

Formal

84 7.7

Information given only to people who must have it for their work

know-it-all

Offensive

28 5.7

A person who thinks they are always right and annoys others

need-to-know basis

Formal

12 5.5

A rule that gives information only to people who need it for their work

know-all

Offensive

9 7.7

A person who acts like they have all the answers and won't listen to others

know-nothing

Offensive

5 8.5

An insulting word for a person who has very little information

desire to know

4 3.5

A strong wish to learn new things about the world

Know-Nothing Party

Offensive

9.9

A 1850s American political party that opposed immigrants and Catholics

How Familiar

to know

∞ 1.0

to know nothing

279 3.6

Surface Forms

know infinitive

knowing present participle

knows third person singular

knew past

known past participle

Etymology

Know comes from a very old root that meant 'to learn about' or 'recognize', and you can see the same root in knowledge. So to 'know' a person or place is to have learned about them or met them before.