know¹

[noh] /noʊ/

verb (used with object), knew, known, knowing.

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, knowing.

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

10.

the fact or state of knowing; knowledge.

Idioms

11.

in the know, possessing inside, secret, or special information.

12.

know the ropes, Informal. to understand or be familiar with the particulars of a subject or business:

He knew the ropes better than anyone else in politics.

Origin

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

Related forms

knower, noun

Synonyms

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.

British Dictionary definitions for know the ropes

know

/nəʊ/

verb (mainly transitive) knows, knowing, knew (njuː), known (nəʊn)

(also intransitive; 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 intransitive; 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

10.

I know what, I have an idea

11.

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

12.

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

13.

you never know, things are uncertain

noun

14.

(informal) in the know, aware or informed

Derived Forms

knowable, adjective
knower, noun

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for know the ropes

know

Old English cnawan (class VII strong verb; past tense cneow, past participle cnawen), "to know, perceive; acknowledge, declare," from Proto-Germanic *knew- (cf. Old High German bi-chnaan, ir-chnaan "to know"), from PIE root *gno- "to know" (cf. Old Persian xšnasatiy "he shall know;" Old Church Slavonic znati, Russian znat "to know;" Latin gnoscere; Greek *gno-, as in gignoskein; Sanskrit jna- "know"). Once widespread in Germanic, this form is now retained only in English, where however it has widespread application, covering meanings that require two or more verbs in other languages (e.g. German wissen, kennen, erkennen and in part können; French connaître, savoir; Latin novisse, cognoscere; Old Church Slavonic znaja, vemi). The Anglo-Saxons used two distinct words for this, witan (see wit) and cnawan.

Meaning "to have sexual intercourse with" is attested from c.1200, from the Old Testament. To not know one's ass from one's elbow is from 1930. To know better "to have learned from experience" is from 1704. You know as a parenthetical filler is from 1712, but it has roots in 14c. To know too much (to be allowed to live, escape, etc.) is from 1872. As an expression of surprise, what do you know attested by 1914.

"inside information" (as in in the know), 1883; earlier "fact of knowing" (1590s), from know (v.).

know the ropes in Culture

know the ropes definition

To be familiar with the details of an operation: “You won't have to train the new computer operator; she already knows the ropes.”

Slang definitions & phrases for know the ropes

know the ropes

verb phrase

To be seasoned and informed; know the intricacies of a job, situation, etc; KNOW one's WAY AROUND

[1874+ fr nautical; fr the myriad ropes of a sailing vessel]

know

Related Terms

in the know

Idioms and Phrases with know the ropes

know the ropes

Be informed about the details of a situation or task. For example, Don't worry about Sara's taking over that reporter's job—she already knows the ropes. This expression alludes to sailors learning the rigging so as to handle a sailing vessel's ropes. It was being used figuratively by the late 1800s. The same allusion is present in show someone the ropes, meaning “to familiarize someone with the details,” as in Tom's very experienced—he'll show you the ropes.