# wot

/wˈɒt/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wot
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

to know something. This is a very old word that you will mostly see in old books or poems.

For teachers: to know or be aware of. The present tense of the archaic verb 'wit', used primarily in the first and third person singular.

## Examples

- God wot that I have tried my best.
- The old knight spoke of secrets that no man else did wot of in those days.
- In the dusty pages of the chronicle, the monk wrote of a king who, as all men wot, ruled with a heavy hand and a cold heart.

## Usage notes

- Archaic form; typically used in the phrase 'God wot' or in literary imitations of Middle English.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.