knowing

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Possessing knowledge or understanding

   Possessing knowledge or understanding; knowledgeable, intelligent.

   • The knowing and intelligent part of the world.
2. 2

   Deliberate, wilful.

3. 3

   Shrewd or showing clever awareness

   Shrewd or showing clever awareness; discerning.

   • a knowing rascal
4. ›+ 5 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Demonstrating knowledge of what is in fashion

      Demonstrating knowledge of what is in fashion; stylish, chic.

      • ‘I was a raw boy from College, and fancied it very knowing to marry a girl that all the young fellows of my acquaintance reckoned so confounded handsome.’
      • Tom thought his cap a very knowing affair, but confessed that he had a hat in his hat-box; which was accordingly at once extracted from the hind-boot, and Tom equipped in his go-to-meeting roof, as his new friend called it.
   2. 5

      Suggestive of private knowledge or understanding.

      • Jon and Tyrion greet each other with the words that have been used against them as weapons, sharing a knowing smile.
      • As family entertainment, it’s all perfectly fine. There are plenty of callbacks to the original to delight young fans (including a catchy new song from Shakira’s Gazelle) and plenty of knowing jokes for the adults in the audience.
   3. 6

      Given my knowledge about someone or something.

      • Knowing you, you would try not to be late for school.
   4. 7

      present participle and gerund of know

   5. 8

      The act or condition of having knowledge.

      • Sensations then, are not perceivings, observings or findings; they are not detectings, scannings or inspectings; they are not apprehendings, cognisings, intuitings or knowings.

The neighborhood

• synonymknowful