knew

[ noo, nyoo ]

/ nu, nyu /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR knew ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

simple past tense of know¹.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH knew

gnu knew new

Words nearby knew

kneidel, knell, kneller, knelt, knesset, knew, knick-knack, knicker, knickerbocker, knickerbocker glory, knickerbockers

Definition for knew (2 of 2)

know ¹

[ noh ]

/ noʊ /

verb (used with object), knew, known, know·ing.

to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty: I know the situation fully.

to have established or fixed in the mind or memory: to know a poem by heart; Do you know the way to the park from here?

to be cognizant or aware of: I know it.

be acquainted with (a thing, place, person, etc.), as by sight, experience, or report: to know the mayor.

to understand from experience or attainment (usually followed by how before an infinitive): to know how to make gingerbread.

to be able to distinguish, as one from another: to know right from wrong.

Archaic. to have sexual intercourse with.

verb (used without object), knew, known, know·ing.

to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of fact or truth.

to be cognizant or aware, as of some fact, circumstance, or occurrence; have information, as about something.

noun

the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.

Origin of know

before 900; Middle English knowen, knawen, Old English gecnāwan; cognate with Old High German -cnāhan, Old Norse knā to know how, be able to; akin to Latin ( g)nōvī, Greek gignṓskein. See gnostic, can¹

SYNONYMS FOR know

1 Know, comprehend, understand imply being aware of meanings. To know is to be aware of something as a fact or truth: He knows the basic facts of the subject. I know that he agrees with me. To comprehend is to know something thoroughly and to perceive its relationships to certain other ideas, facts, etc. To understand is to be fully aware not only of the meaning of something but also of its implications: I could comprehend all he said, but did not understand that he was joking.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR know ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM know

know·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for knew

He knew that a public appearance with Duke could be disastrous.

The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence |Jason Berry |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Johnson knew that the proposals he was going to send to the Hill would be divisive.

Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society |Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
They liked what Duke was saying and were willing to look beyond what little they knew of his past.

The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise |Jason Berry |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
He knew I loved him like a big brother, and I knew the feeling was mutual.

The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile |Robert Ward |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

Who knew that “we shall overcome” meant “we, the few, shall book covers every decade or so, maybe, sometimes, if we are in style.”

One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem |Danielle Belton |January 2, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
For Ignacio knew that the Spanish officer was glad enough to believe the story the spy told him.

A Prisoner of Morro |Upton Sinclair
His stomach was empty—which he knew, and his soul was empty—which he did not know.

A Rainy June and Other Stories |Ouida
If she only knew what day Jimmy was to be in Washington she could arrange to meet him there.

The Little Colonel's Chum: Mary Ware |Annie Fellows Johnston
A real ghost could have done that, I suppose, but so could any person in reasonable physical shape who knew the terrain.

The Blue Ghost Mystery |Harold Leland Goodwin
To confirm this remark let the sentences be inverted; "thou art an hard man, I knew thee to be such, or I knew it."

Dissertation on the English Language |Noah Webster, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for knew (1 of 2)

knew

/ (njuː) /

verb

the past tense of know

British Dictionary definitions for knew (2 of 2)

know

/ (nəʊ) /

verb knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

(also intr; may take a clause as object) to be or feel certain of the truth or accuracy of (a fact, etc)

to be acquainted or familiar with she's known him five years

to have a familiarity or grasp of, as through study or experience he knows French

(also intr; may take a clause as object) to understand, be aware of, or perceive (facts, etc) he knows the answer now

(foll by how) to be sure or aware of (how to be or do something)

to experience, esp deeply to know poverty

to be intelligent, informed, or sensible enough (to do something) she knew not to go home yet

(may take a clause as object) to be able to distinguish or discriminate

archaic to have sexual intercourse with

I know what I have an idea

know what's what to know how one thing or things in general work

you know informal a parenthetical filler phrase used to make a pause in speaking or add slight emphasis to a statement

you never know things are uncertain

noun

in the know informal aware or informed

Derived forms of know

knowable, adjective knower, noun

Word Origin for know

Old English gecnāwan; related to Old Norse knā I can, Latin noscere to come to know

Idioms and Phrases with knew

know

In addition to the idioms beginning with know

know all the answers
know a thing or two
know beans
know better
know by heart
know by sight
know enough to come in out of the rain
know from Adam
know if one is coming or going
know it all
know like a book
know one's own mind
know one's place
know one's stuff
know one's way around
know only too well
know the ropes
know the score
know where one stands
know which side of one's bread is buttered

also see:

before you know it
(know) by heart
come in out of the rain, know enough to
coming or going, know if one's
for all (I know)
god knows
(know) inside out
in the know
it takes one to know one
left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing
not know beans
not know from Adam
not know where to turn
not know which way to jump
thing or two, know
what do you know
what have you (who knows what)
which is which, know
you know

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

knew

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH knew

Words nearby knew

Definition for knew (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), knew, known, know·ing.

verb (used without object), knew, known, know·ing.

noun

Origin of know

SYNONYMS FOR know

OTHER WORDS FROM know

Example sentences from the Web for knew

British Dictionary definitions for knew (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for knew (2 of 2)

verb knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of know

Word Origin for know

Idioms and Phrases with knew

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

knew

verb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH knew

Words nearby knew

Definition for knew (2 of 2)

verb (used with object), knew, known, know·ing.

verb (used without object), knew, known, know·ing.

noun

Origin of know

SYNONYMS FOR know

OTHER WORDS FROM know

Words related to knew

Example sentences from the Web for knew

British Dictionary definitions for knew (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for knew (2 of 2)

verb knows, knowing, knew (njuː) or known (nəʊn) (mainly tr)

noun

Derived forms of know

Word Origin for know

Idioms and Phrases with knew