KNOWING

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does knowing mean? 

• KNOWING (noun)
  The noun KNOWING has 1 sense:

1. a clear and certain mental apprehension

  Familiarity information: KNOWING used as a noun is very rare.

• KNOWING (adjective)
  The adjective KNOWING has 4 senses:

1. evidencing the possession of inside information

2. characterized by conscious design or purpose

3. alert and fully informed

4. highly educated; having extensive information or understanding

  Familiarity information: KNOWING used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• KNOWING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A clear and certain mental apprehension

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("knowing" is a kind of...):

higher cognitive process (cognitive processes that presuppose the availability of knowledge and put it to use)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "knowing"):

awareness; cognisance; cognizance; consciousness; knowingness (having knowledge of)

incognizance (a lack of knowledge or recognition)

know (the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people)

cognizance; ken (range of what one can know or understand)

farsightedness; foresight; prevision; prospicience (seeing ahead; knowing in advance; foreseeing)

apprehension; discernment; savvy; understanding (the cognitive condition of someone who understands)

Derivation:

know (be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about)

• KNOWING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Evidencing the possession of inside information

Synonyms:

knowing; wise; wise to

Similar:

informed (having much knowledge or education)

Derivation:

knowingness (shrewdness demonstrated by knowledge)

knowingness (having knowledge of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by conscious design or purpose

Synonyms:

deliberate; intentional; knowing

Context example:

a deliberate attempt to provoke a response

Similar:

intended (resulting from one's intentions)

Derivation:

knowingness (shrewdness demonstrated by knowledge)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Alert and fully informed

Synonyms:

knowing; knowledgeable

Context example:

surprisingly knowledgeable about what was going on

Similar:

informed (having much knowledge or education)

Derivation:

knowingness (having knowledge of)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Highly educated; having extensive information or understanding

Synonyms:

knowing; knowledgeable; learned; lettered; well-educated; well-read

Context example:

a knowledgeable audience

Similar:

educated (possessing an education (especially having more than average knowledge))

Derivation:

knowingness (having knowledge of)

 Context examples 

All about it was so very quiet, that I said to Mr. Mell I supposed the boys were out; but he seemed surprised at my not knowing that it was holiday-time.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

There was no way for anybody to tell him about all these people, and of blood-ties and relationship he knew nothing whatever and never would be capable of knowing.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"What do you—that is, what compensation—" began Jo, not exactly knowing how to express herself.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I suppose it must have come in the night, and matured without my knowing it.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She went accordingly to the table, where she was in the habit of writing for her aunt, and prepared her materials without knowing what in the world to say.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

But whether her brother had still exceeded her in resentment, Catherine, though she instinctively addressed herself as much to one as to the other in her vindication, had no means of knowing.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Did he see you last summer or autumn, 'somewhere down in the west,' to use her own words, without knowing it to be you?

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I should doubt his knowing anything at all about Mr. Rochester; it is not in Mr. Rochester he is interested.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Knowing the structure of the transporter can help researchers gain insights into the molecular causes of these disorders and of antidepressant treatment resistance.

(Serotonin transporter structure revealed, NIH)

And knowing the masses of the two giant galaxies will help to reveal the details of our ultimate fate.

(No Winner in Milky Way-Andromeda Clash, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)