knowl ‧ edge S2 W1 /ˈnɒlɪdʒ $ ˈnɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ knowing , ↑ knowledgeable , ↑ known ≠ ↑ unknown ; noun : ↑ knowledge , the unknown; adverb : ↑ knowingly ≠ ↑ unknowingly , ↑ knowledgeably ; verb : ↑ know ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: knowledge 'to acknowledge' (13-18 centuries) , from know ]
1 . the information, skills, and understanding that you have gained through learning or experience
knowledge of
He did not have much knowledge of American history.
knowledge about
the need to increase knowledge about birth control
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that someone knows about something rather than has knowledge of/about something:
▪
He didn’t know much about American history.
2 . when you know about a particular situation or event, or the information you have about it:
Evans denied all knowledge of the robbery.
I had no knowledge of this whatsoever until The Times contacted me.
(secure/safe) in the knowledge that
Kay smiled, secure in the knowledge that she was right.
be common/public knowledge (=be known about by everyone)
Their affair is public knowledge.
to (the best of) sb’s knowledge (=used to say that someone may not know the true facts)
To the best of my knowledge, the new project will be starting in June.
To our knowledge, this is the first time it’s happened.
‘Is it true that she’s leaving the company?’ ‘Not to my knowledge (=I do not think so) .’
without sb’s knowledge
He was annoyed to find the contract had been signed without his knowledge.
She acted with the full knowledge of her boss (=her boss knew about her action) .
Ministers publicly denied that they had prior knowledge of the attack (=they denied that they knew that it was going to happen) .
⇨ ↑ general knowledge , ⇨ working knowledge at ↑ working 1 (9)
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GRAMMAR
Knowledge is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪
Knowledge comes from research.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have some knowledge of something
The book assumes that you already have some knowledge of physics.
▪ get knowledge ( also gain/acquire knowledge formal )
He gets all his knowledge about politics from watching the television.
▪ increase/improve your knowledge
If you want to improve your knowledge of the language, you should go and live in France.
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In the past twenty years, we have greatly increased our knowledge of how the brain works.
▪ broaden/expand your knowledge (=increase your knowledge)
The course is designed to help students broaden their knowledge of modern American literature.
▪ show/demonstrate your knowledge
The test should be an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + knowledge
▪ general knowledge (=knowledge about a lot of different subjects)
The questions are intended to test your general knowledge.
▪ scientific/technical knowledge
the practical application of scientific knowledge
▪ specialist/expert knowledge
Making profitable investments requires specialist knowledge.
▪ detailed knowledge
You need to have a detailed knowledge of criminal law.
▪ first-hand/personal knowledge (=knowledge from experiencing something yourself)
writers who had no first-hand knowledge of war
▪ basic knowledge (=knowledge of the basic aspects of something)
These things are obvious to anyone with even a basic knowledge of computers.
▪ in-depth/thorough knowledge (=detailed knowledge about all of a particular subject)
He demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.
▪ considerable/extensive/vast knowledge
She had considerable knowledge of antiques.
▪ intimate knowledge (=knowledge about something because you are involved in it)
He seemed to have an intimate knowledge of prison life.
▪ inside knowledge (=knowledge that you have because you are part of a group)
his inside knowledge gained from 20 years in the industry
▪ background knowledge (=knowledge that you need before you can understand or do something)
The test will show what background knowledge a student brings to the course.
■ phrases
▪ a thirst for knowledge (=a desire to learn more)
She arrived at college with a thirst for knowledge.
▪ somebody's breadth of knowledge (=when you know a lot about all the different parts of something)
They lack his breadth of knowledge about the industry.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'learn knowledge' . Say gain knowledge or acquire knowledge .
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THESAURUS
▪ knowledge the facts and information that you have learned, and the understanding you have gained:
Our knowledge of other cultures and societies has improved.
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scientific knowledge
▪ expertise special knowledge about how to do something, that you get through experience, training, or study:
The technical expertise was provided by a Japanese company.
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They need people with medical expertise.
▪ know-how practical knowledge about how to do something:
Business leaders often lack the local know-how to tackle problems in specific countries.
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financial know-how
▪ wisdom good sense and judgment, based on knowledge and experience:
the wisdom of the older family members
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It’s a matter of common wisdom that newspapers cannot be trusted.
▪ grasp how much you know about a situation or subject, and how well you understand it:
He’s been praised for his grasp of the country’s economic problems.
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She has a good grasp of the language.