FluencyCraft

knew

"Knew" is the past tense of the verb "know." It has a few closely related senses, all revolving around having information, understanding, or familiarity with something — but at a point in the past.

1verbhaving information or facts

When you had a fact or piece of information in your mind at some point in the past, you 'knew' it. Think of it as: the information was already inside your head back then.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

She knew the answer to every question on the test.

I knew his phone number by heart, but I've forgotten it now.

We knew the meeting was at 9 a.m., so we arrived early.

2verbbeing familiar with a person

When you had met someone before and were familiar with them — not just heard their name, but actually had a relationship or connection with them — you 'knew' them.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

I knew her from school — we were in the same class for three years.

He knew the manager personally, so getting a table was easy.

Did you know anyone at the party, or were they all strangers?

3verbunderstanding or realising something

Sometimes 'knew' is not just about facts — it is about a deeper understanding or a feeling of certainty. You sensed or realised something was true.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

The moment I walked in, I knew something was wrong.

She knew it was going to be a difficult conversation.

He always knew that hard work would pay off eventually.

4verbbeing skilled or experienced in something

You can also use 'knew' to say that someone had skill or experience with a subject or activity in the past — they understood it well enough to do it.

everyday language · Modern, widely used

She knew how to cook traditional dishes from her home country.

He knew the city well, so he never needed a map.

They knew exactly how to handle a difficult customer.

Content generated by AI — may contain inaccuracies