know

A1 · Beginner

v. to have met someone before and be friendly with them.

v. to be acquainted or familiar with a person through previous encounter or social interaction.

“I have known my best friend since we were five years old.”

“Although they had worked in the same building for years, they didn't truly get to know each other until the company retreat.”

A2 · Elementary

v. to have the skill or ability to do something, like speak a language or play a game.

v. to possess a practical understanding or mastery of a skill, language, or subject through study or experience.

“Do you know how to fix a flat tire on a bicycle?”

“She knows enough Mandarin to navigate the city and order meals, though she struggles with complex technical discussions.”

B1 · Intermediate

v. to see or hear someone and remember who they are.

v. to identify or recognize someone or something previously encountered.

“I didn't know you with your new haircut.”

“Even after twenty years apart, he knew her voice the moment she spoke his name across the crowded terminal.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Literary

v. to have felt or lived through a particular situation or feeling.

v. to have personal experience of a specific condition, emotion, or historical period.

“That generation knew great hardship during the war.”

“The region has known little peace over the last century, as border disputes have repeatedly flared into open conflict.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Informal

n. used in the phrase 'in the know' to mean you have special information that others do not have.

n. the state of possessing inside information or specialized knowledge; restricted almost exclusively to the idiomatic phrase 'in the know'.

“People in the know say that the company is going to close soon.”

“Those in the know suggest that the prime minister is planning a surprise cabinet reshuffle before the end of the fiscal year.”