knowledge

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. all the facts and information that people have discovered over time.

n. the sum total of what is known; the body of facts and principles accumulated by humankind.

“The internet has made it easier for everyone to access human knowledge.”

“The library was designed as a monument to human knowledge, housing manuscripts that spanned three millennia of scientific discovery.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun British English · Informal

n. the difficult test that London taxi drivers must pass to show they know every street in the city.

n. the rigorous examination of London's geography required for a taxicab licence. Often used with the definite article as 'The Knowledge'.

“He spent three years on his motorbike studying for The Knowledge before he could drive a black cab.”

“Aspiring cabbies often spend years traversing the city's labyrinthine streets to master The Knowledge before sitting their final exams.”

C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Law Archaic · Formal · Technical

n. a very old-fashioned way to talk about having sex.

n. sexual intercourse or intimacy. Archaic in general use; survives primarily in the legal phrase 'carnal knowledge'.

“The old book used the phrase carnal knowledge to describe the couple's relationship.”

“The defendant was charged under a statute that specifically cited carnal knowledge of a minor as a felony offense.”