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REFERENCE

knit

v. · n.
US //ˈnɪt// UK //nˈɪt// knit
Irregular verb past knitted / knit past participle knitted / knit
  1. 1 making clothes from yarn (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to make clothes like sweaters or scarves by using long needles to loop yarn together.

    to construct fabric by interlocking loops of yarn or thread with needles or a machine.

    Example

    My grandmother taught me how to knit a warm scarf for the winter.

    Example

    She spent the quiet evenings knitting intricate patterns into a woollen jumper for her newborn nephew.

    Usage

    Can be used with or without a direct object.
  2. 2 to join together (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to join people or things together in a strong, close way.

    to unite or link different elements or people into a cohesive and firm whole.

    Example

    The shared experience helped to knit the small community together.

    Example

    The director's vision served to knit the disparate scenes into a powerful and coherent narrative.
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  1. 3 bones healing (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    when broken bones grow back together and heal.

    to grow together or become compacted, specifically regarding the healing process of fractured bones.

    Example

    The doctor said it would take six weeks for the broken bone to knit.

    Example

    X-rays confirmed that the fracture had begun to knit successfully, showing significant new bone growth across the break.
  2. 4 to knit your brows (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    to move your eyebrows together because you are thinking hard or are angry.

    to draw the eyebrows together, resulting in a wrinkled forehead, typically as a sign of concentration or displeasure.

    Example

    He would often knit his brows when he was trying to solve a difficult puzzle.

    Example

    The professor sat in silence, knitting his brows as he scrutinised the student's controversial thesis statement.

    Usage

    Almost exclusively used with 'brows'.
  3. 5 knitted fabric or clothing (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a piece of clothing made by knitting, or the type of fabric itself.

    a garment or fabric produced by the process of knitting.

    Example

    She wore a heavy knit to protect herself from the cold wind.

    Example

    The autumn collection featured a variety of chunky knits and lightweight cotton blends.
Origin

From Middle English knytten, from Old English cnyttan (“to fasten, tie, bind, knit; add, append”), from Proto-West Germanic knuttijan, from Proto-Germanic knutjaną, *knuttijaną (“to make knots, knit”). Cognate with Low German knütten and Old Norse knýta (whence Danish knytte, Norwegian Nynorsk knyta). More at knot.

Word family
Idioms3 entries

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