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April 17, 2019 Word of the Day

knot /ˈnɑːt/ noun
knot
/ˈnɑːt/
noun

plural knots

Knot
Knot
Definition of KNOT

[count]

1 a : a part that forms when you tie a piece of rope, string, fabric, etc., to itself or to something else

  • She tied the rope in a knot.

  • He made/tied a knot in the rope.

  • untie a knot

  • loosen/tighten a knot

1 b : a part where something has become twisted or wrapped around itself

  • The electrical cord was tangled in knots.

  • She tried to untangle the knots [=tangles] in the child's hair.

— often used figuratively

  • The project has been tied up in political and legal knots for years. [=nothing has happened with the project for years because of political and legal problems]

2 : a painful or uncomfortable feeling of tightness in part of your body

  • a knot in a muscle

  • massaging the knots out of my back

  • I was so nervous that my stomach was in knots. [=I had an unpleasant and tight feeling in my stomach]

3 : a dark round mark on a piece of wood that shows where a branch grew

  • a board full of knots

4 : a way of arranging long hair by twisting it into a round shape at the sides or back of the head

  • She pulled her hair into a knot [=bun] at the back of her neck.

5 : a group of people who are standing or sitting close together

  • A knot [=cluster] of people blocked the door.

6 : a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour

  • Wind is from the north at 12 knots.

  • sailing at six knots

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