[f. KNOW v. + -ING1.] The action or fact denoted by the verb KNOW.
† 1. Acknowledgement; recognition. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 280. Edmod cnowunge of þin owune wocnesse & of þine owune unstrenðe.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 206. Freres … fetten him þennes; For knowynge of Comers kepten [B. coped] him as a Frere.
† 2. Personal acquaintance. Obs.
Fleshly knowing, carnal knowledge.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11749. Þar þai fand nan o þair knaing, At þat þai cuth ask at þair gesting [Fairf. þer þai fande na knawinge of quam þai muȝt aske gesteninge].
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2155, Ariadne. Ther as he had a frend of his knowinge.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 105. Lete fleischeli knowynge from þee be lent Saue oonli bi-twene man & wijf: Þis is þe sixte comaundement.
3. The action of getting to understand, or fact of understanding; mental comprehension of truths or principles; knowledge; † understanding of or skill in something (obs.).
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 166. Geffrey … made it alle in Latin Þat clerkes haf now knawyng in.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 858. Al-thagh oure corses in clottez clynge,… We thurgh-outly haven cnawyng.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 147. The spyryte of knowinge and of pytye.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., I. (1520), 6/1. Athlas … is lykened to bere up heven on his sholders bycause of his knowynge in sterres.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., I. ix. 35. The Knowing of the Medicine and of the Disease must go hand in hand.
1874. Blackie, Self-Cult., 15. He did not mean to assert that mere indiscriminate knowing is always good.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 451. Knowing is the acquiring and retaining knowledge and not forgetting.
4. The fact of being aware or informed of any thing; acquaintance with a thing or fact; cognizance, knowledge; † notice, intimation (obs.). Now chiefly in the phrase, there is no knowing, one cannot know, no one can tell.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5495 (Gött.). A neu king, Þat of ioseph had na knouyng.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 293. Deyntees mo than been in my knowyng.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13199. When hit come to the knowyng of hir kid brother, Poliphemus prudly preset hir after.
c. 1485. Digby Myst., III. 1273. I send hym knowyng of crystes deth.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xix. (1623), 929. Without the knowing and assent of the Lords.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xii. There is no knowing how young women will act.
1800. Asiat. Ann. Reg., Proc. E. Ind. Ho., 60/2. There was no knowing what it might lead to.
1860. Geo. Eliot, Mill on Fl., II. ii. There’s never any knowing where that’ll end.
† b. A means whereby to know something; a sign, an indication. Obs.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 271. Whanne þe bowels falliþ þoruȝ dindimum, he makiþ þe ballok leþir neuere þe lengere, & þis is a good knowinge.
† c. Something known, an experience. Obs.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iv. 4. This sore Night Hath trifled former knowings.
