knot
not
Knot (noun) means a fastening made by looping and tightening a piece of string, rope, or similar material. Example: “He tied a tight knot to secure the tent to the ground.”
noun
1
A fastening made by looping and tightening a piece of string, rope, or similar material.
"He tied a tight knot to secure the tent to the ground."
"Scouts learn to tie a reef knot on their first camping trip."
"The rope slipped free because the knot had been badly tied."
2
A hard, tight lump in a muscle, or a tangled clump of hair.
"Years of stress had left a knot in her shoulder."
"The masseuse worked on a painful knot between my shoulder blades."
"I spent ten minutes combing a stubborn knot out of the child's hair."
3
A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used for ships and aircraft.
"The yacht was cruising at a steady twelve knots."
"The captain slowed the ship to a few knots as it entered the harbour."
"Pilots check the wind speed in knots before every landing."
verb
1
To tie something into a knot.
"She knotted the laces so they wouldn't come undone."
"He knotted his tie in front of the mirror."
"Knot the end of the thread so it won't pull through the cloth."
How to use knot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tied loop in rope or string, a tight lump (like in a muscle), or, at sea, a unit of speed.
Common mistake
Don't confuse the speed unit "knot" with "miles per hour" — a knot already means nautical miles per hour, so phrases like "knots per hour" are redundant.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
tie a knot
a knot in your stomach
travelling at X knots
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like knot.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- knots
- Third person singular
- knots
- Past tense
- knotted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He tied a tight _____ to secure the tent to the ground.
Etymology
From Old English cnotta, "knot," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bind."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for knot
See all rhymes for knot →Frequently asked questions
What does “knot” mean?
The word “knot” means a fastening made by looping and tightening a piece of string, rope, or similar material. In plain terms, a tied loop in rope or string, a tight lump (like in a muscle), or, at sea, a unit of speed.
How do you pronounce “knot”?
“Knot” is pronounced not (/nɑt/ in IPA).
How do you use “knot” in a sentence?
Here is “knot” used in a sentence: “He tied a tight knot to secure the tent to the ground.”
What is another word for “knot”?
Words with a similar meaning to “knot” include join, put together and flummox.
What is the opposite of “knot”?
The opposite of “knot” — its antonyms — are loosen, unbind, unknot and untie.
What part of speech is “knot”?
Depending on how it is used, “knot” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “knot” come from?
The word “knot” comes from Old English. From Old English cnotta, "knot," from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bind.".
Is “knot” a common word?
“Knot” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between a knot and a hitch?
A knot broadly refers to a fastening made by looping and tightening a piece of string, rope, or similar material, while a hitch is a specific type of knot used to attach a rope to another object. In everyday speech, "knot" is the general term covering many specific fastenings, including hitches.
Why is a knot used to measure ship speed instead of miles per hour?
A knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, and it became the standard for ships and aircraft because nautical miles are based on the Earth's geography rather than land-based measurements. This makes the knot more practical for navigation over open water than statute miles per hour.
What is the difference between a knot in a muscle and a knot in rope?
A knot in rope is a fastening made by looping and tightening the material, while a knot in a muscle refers to a hard, tight lump of tension, or can also describe a tangled clump of hair. Both senses share the image of something twisted or bunched tightly together.
Is "knot" only a noun, or can it be a verb too?
Knot works as both a noun and a verb. As a verb, to knot something means to tie it into a knot.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include knot:
