n. & v.
n. 1 a an intertwining of a rope, string, tress of hair, etc., with another, itself, or something else to join or fasten together. b a set method of tying a knot (a reef knot). c a ribbon etc. tied as an ornament and worn on a dress etc. d a tangle in hair, knitting, etc. 2 a a unit of a ship's or aircraft's speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour (see nautical mile). b a division marked by knots on a log-line, as a measure of speed. c colloq. a nautical mile. 3 (usu. foll. by of) a group or cluster (a small knot of journalists at the gate). 4 something forming or maintaining a union; a bond or tie, esp. of wedlock. 5 a hard lump of tissue in an animal or human body. 6 a a knob or protuberance in a stem, branch, or root. b a hard mass formed in a tree trunk at the intersection with a branch. c a round cross-grained piece in timber where a branch has been cut through. d a node on the stem of a plant. 7 a difficulty; a problem. 8 a central point in a problem or the plot of a story etc. 9 (in full porter's knot) Brit. hist. a double shoulder-pad and forehead-loop used for carrying loads.
v. (knotted, knotting) 1 tr. tie (a string etc.) in a knot. 2 tr. entangle. 3 tr. knit (the brows). 4 tr. unite closely or intricately (knotted together in intrigue). 5 a intr. make knots for fringing. b tr. make (a fringe) with knots. at a rate of knots colloq. very fast. get knotted! sl. an expression of disbelief, annoyance, etc. knot-garden an intricately designed formal garden. knot-hole a hole in a piece of timber where a knot has fallen out (sense 6). tie in knots colloq. baffle or confuse completely. knotless adj. knotter n. knotting n. (esp. in sense 5 of v.).
[ OE cnotta f. WG ]