ken

[ken] /kɛn/
noun
1.
knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception:
an idea beyond one's ken.
2.
range of sight or vision.
verb (used with object), kenned or kent, kenning.
3.
Chiefly Scot.
  1. to know, have knowledge of or about, or be acquainted with (a person or thing).
  2. to understand or perceive (an idea or situation).
4.
Scots Law. to acknowledge as heir; recognize by a judicial act.
5.
Archaic. to see; descry; recognize.
6.
British Dialect Archaic.
  1. to declare, acknowledge, or confess (something).
  2. to teach, direct, or guide (someone).
verb (used without object), kenned or kent, kenning.
7.
British Dialect.
  1. to have knowledge of something.
  2. to understand.
Origin
before 900; Middle English kennen to make known, see, know, Old English cennan to make known, declare; cognate with Old Norse kenna, German kennen; akin to can1
Can be confused
ken, kin, kith.

Ken

[ken] /kɛn/
noun
1.
a male given name, form of Kendall or Kenneth.

Ken.

1.
Kentucky.
British Dictionary definitions for ken

ken

/kɛn/
noun
1.
range of knowledge or perception (esp in the phrases beyond or in one's ken)
verb kens, kenning, kenned, kent (kɛnt)
2.
(Scot & Northern English, dialect) to know
3.
(Scot & Northern English, dialect) to understand; perceive
4.
(transitive) (archaic) to see
Word Origin
Old English cennan; related to Old Norse kenna to perceive, Old High German kennen to make known; see can1

Ken.

abbreviation
1.
Kentucky
Word Origin and History for ken
v.

"to know," Scottish dialect, from Old English cennan "make known, declare, acknowledge" (in late Old English also "to know"), originally "make to know," causative of cunnan "to become acquainted with, to know" (see can (v.)). Cognate with German kennen, Danish kjende, Swedish känna. Related: Kenned; kenning.

n.

"range of sight," 1580s, a nautical abbreviation of kenning.

"house where thieves meet," 1560s, vagabonds' slang, probably a shortening of kennel.

Slang definitions & phrases for ken

Ken

noun

A conformist, conventional man; a man lacking any but bland typical characteristics: Mr Quayle has been called a sort of Ken/ Bergin, the male villain, is reprising his role as the Ken-doll monster of Sleeping With the Enemy

[fr the male counterpart of the Barbie doll]


ken in Technology


/ken/ 1. Ken Thompson
2. A flaming user. This was originated by the Software Support group at Symbolics because the two greatest flamers in the user community were both named Ken.
[Jargon File]

Related Abbreviations for ken

KEN

[National Mental Health Services] Knowledge Exchange Network

Ken.

Kentucky