knot

noun
UK: /nɒt/
US: /nɑːt/

  1. A fastening made by tying a piece of string, rope, or something similar.

    1. I tied a knot in my shoelace.
    2. The sailor expertly tied a complex knot to secure the boat to the dock.

  2. A small, tight group of people or things.

    1. A knot of people stood talking.
    2. A tight knot of anxiety formed in her stomach as she awaited the test results.

  3. A nautical mile per hour, used as a measure of speed for ships and aircraft.

    1. The ship was travelling at 20 knots.
    2. The sailboat maintained a steady speed of seven knots throughout the afternoon.

  4. A hard lump in wood.

    1. This wood has a knot in it.
    2. The carpenter carefully planed the wood, working around the stubborn knot.

Synonyms

cluster group tie snag tangle speed hitch bend
knot verb

  1. To tie in a knot.

    1. He will knot the rope.
    2. She carefully knotted the ribbon around the present, adding a flourish.

  2. To become twisted or tangled.

    1. My hair knots easily.
    2. The threads of the embroidery began to knot and tangle after some use.
knot adjective

  1. Used to describe a plant with flowers growing in dense clusters.

    1. They saw a knot garden.
    2. The knot garden, famed for its formal design, featured intricate patterns of herbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "knot" in English means: A fastening made by tying a piece of string, rope, or something similar., A small, tight group of people or things., A nautical mile per hour, used as a measure of speed for ships and aircraft., A hard lump in wood..

The phonetic transcription of "knot" is /nɒt/ in British English and /nɑːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "knot": cluster, group, tie, snag, tangle, speed, hitch, bend.

Example usage of "knot": "I tied a knot in my shoelace.". More examples on the page.