Meaning of know in English

I know the first verse of the song, but I don't know what comes next.
If you don't know what the word means, look it up in a dictionary.
It's always awkward when you meet someone you know, but you can't remember their name.
He knows a lot of people, but only one or two that he'd call close friends.
I hope she knows where to get off the bus.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Learning & knowing

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Skill, talent and ability

Being friends & getting to know them

Grammar

Know

We commonly use the verb know with a noun phrase, with a that-clause or with a wh-clause (e.g. who, where, why): …

Know how + infinitive

We do not commonly use know + to-infinitive. We use know how + to-infinitive: …

Know + object + infinitive

In very formal English, we use know + object + to-infinitive: …

Know without an object

To refer to general knowledge, we use know without an object: …

You know

We use you know very often in speaking as a discourse marker. We use it to check that the people we are speaking to share the same knowledge as us and understand what we are saying: …

You know

We use you know very commonly in speaking. It is used to check with our listeners that we share the same knowledge. When we use you know, we assume that the listener or listeners do have the knowledge that we want them to have: …

Idioms

before you know it
be known to be/do sth
Goodness/God/Heaven/Christ knows
how was I to know?
I don't know
I don't know about you but...
I don't know how, what, why, etc.
I know
I know, right?
I'll, he'll, etc. have you know

More idioms

know sth back to front
know sth like the back of your hand
know your own mind
know your place
know your stuff
know your way around sth
know all the answers
know all there is to know about sth
know best
know better (than to do sth)
know better (than sb)
know the score
know what you are doing
know what you are talking about
(you) know what I mean
know what it is (like) to
know what's what
know which side your bread is buttered (on)
sth knows no bounds
not know sb from Adam
not know the first thing about sth
not know the meaning of the word
not know what has hit you
not know where to put yourself
not know where/which way to turn
not know whether to laugh or cry
not that I know of
there's no knowing
(well) what do you know!
wouldn't know sth if you fell over one/it
you know
you know something?
you never know

Phrasal verbs

know sth from sth

know of sb/sth

know

noun

informal

/nəʊ/ us

/noʊ/

be in the know

to have knowledge about something that most people do not have:

This resort is considered by those who are in the know to have the best downhill skiing in Europe.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Aware

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(Definition of know from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

know | American Dictionary

know

verb

/noʊ/

past tense knew us/nu/ | past participle known us/noʊn/

know verb (HAVE INFORMATION)

[ I/T ]

to have information in your mind; to be aware of something:

[ I ] “Where did he go?” “I don’t know.”

[ T ] Do you know the answer?

[ T ] She knows the name of every kid in school.

[ + question word ] Do you know how to tap dance?

[ + question word ] We don’t know when he’s arriving.

[ + (that) clause ] I knew (that) something was wrong from the start.

[ + question word ] I want to know how much this will cost.

know of

If you know of someone or something, you have experience of or information about the person or thing:

Do you know of a good doctor?

know verb (HAVE UNDERSTANDING)

[ I/T ]

to agree with or understand the reasons for an action or opinion:

[ + question word ] I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

[ + question word ] “What a stupid movie!” “I know what you mean.”

know what it is (like) to

To know what it is (like) to be or do something is to understand because you have personally experienced it:

She knows what it’s like to go bankrupt – it happened to her 20 years ago.

know verb (BE FAMILIAR WITH)

[ I/T ]

to be familiar with a person or place:

[ T ] I’ve known Vince since we were in elementary school.

[ T ] She grew up in Hawaii so she knows it well.

[ T ] Knowing Debbie (= from my experience of her in the past), she’ll do a good job.

know verb (FEEL CERTAIN)

[ T ]

to feel certain about something:

I know I’d enjoy myself if I went.

[ + (that) clause ] I know (that) I took those library books back.

[ + wh- word ] I don’t know whether or not I should go to college.

[ T ]

to feel certain about something:

I know I’d enjoy myself if I went.

[ + (that) clause ] I know (that) I took those library books back.

[ + question word ] I don’t know whether or not I should go to college.

know verb (RECOGNIZE)

[ T ]

to recognize someone or something, or to recognize the difference between two people or things:

That’s Pete – I’d know him anywhere.

I know a bargain when I see one!

Idioms

know best
know better (than to do something)
know something like the back of your hand
know your way around something
know what you are doing
know what you are talking about
know where you stand
not know the first thing about
not know what hit you

know

noun

/noʊ/

know noun (HAVE INFORMATION)

in the know

Someone who is in the know has information about something:

Ask Keith – he’s always in the know about upcoming projects.

(Definition of know from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of know

know

To acquaint oneself is to find out, and to be acquainted with something is to know it.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

He really ought to have known better and used as.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

These examples are from the Cambridge English Corpus and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

More examples Fewer examples

We do not know what that may imply in the future.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

But there are also unknown unknowns-the ones we don't know we don't know.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

We do this because we do not know what else to do.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

On the other hand, we know that it is no less than 2m.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

I don't know enough to build up anything.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

What they don't know is that this is what they know.