Knowledge sb.

Forms: (north.) 3–7 knau-, 4–7 knaw-, (5–6 knawe-); (midl. and south.) 4–5 knou-, 4– know-, (4–6 knowe-, 5–7 kno-); 3–6 -lage, (4–6 -lag, 5–6 -leage, 6 -lauge), 4–5 -lache, (4 -lach), -leche (-lech, 5 -lich(e, -lych), 5–7 (8) -lege, (5 -legge); 5 -ledge, (6–8 -ledg). [ME. (north. dial.) knaulage, in Wyclif knowleche. The first element is identical with KNOW sb.¹, and the stem of KNOW v.; for the formation of the word and its relation to KNOWLEDGE v., see Note below. The second element was presumably, as in the vb., originally -leche; but the earliest cited instances (northern, c. 1300) have already -lage; -lache, -leche, appear in southern Eng. late in the 14th c. The shortening of o in the first syllable is phonetically normal; cf. the 15–17th c. spelling knoledge.]

  Signification. The earliest sense goes with the original sense of KNOWLEDGE v. But the word was app. soon laid hold of to supply a noun of action to KNOW v., for which cnowunge, KNOWING, was in earlier use, and continued to be used in part.

  I.  Senses related to KNOWLEDGE v. and early uses of KNOW v.

  † 1.  Acknowledgement, confession. b. Acknowledgement or recognition of the position or claims (of any one). Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11193 (Cott.). To mak knaulage [Gött. knowlage, Trin. knowleche] with sum-thing Til sir august, þair ouer-king. Ibid., 12162 (Cott.). Mang barns als barn i wit yow spac, To me knaulage [Gött. knauleche, Fairf. knawlage, Trin. knowleche] nan wald ye tac. Ibid., 27355 (Cott.). For nakin scam þat he ne mak Opine knaulage of all his sak. Ibid. (c. 1375) (Fairf.). Bid him opin knawlage make & lette for na shame to shew his sake.

1491.  Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 18. If the … seid knowledge had never be made.

1531–2.  Act 23 Hen. VIII., c. 6 § 1. The maires of the Stapull … might laufully take reconisance or knowledge for dettes.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xlii. 142. To pay me for a knowlege euery yere .iiii. drams of gold.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 253 b. In knowlege of our superioritie over them.

  † 2.  The fact of recognizing as something known, or known about, before; recognition. To take knowledge of, to recognize. Obs.

a. 1350.  Cursor M., 4817 (Gött.). To Ioseph siþen þai soght,… Coud þai of him na knaulag [Cott. kything] take.

a. 1400.  Sir Perc., 1052. Now hase Percyvelle … Spokene with his emes twoo, Bot never one of thoo Took his knawlage.

c. 1480.  Henryson, Test. Cres., 393. Sum had na knawlege Of hir, becaus sho was sa deformait.

1579–80.  North, Plutarch (1676), 337. Demetrius … stole away secretly, disguised in a threadbare cloak … to keep him from knowledge.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXXIV. xx. 865. The Lacetanes, when they took knowledge of their armor and colours,… sallied out upon them.

1611.  Bible, Acts iv. 13. They tooke knowledge of them, that they had been with Iesus.

  † 3.  Legal cognizance; judicial investigation or inquiry. Chiefly Sc. Obs.

1398.  Sc. Acts Robt. III. (1814), I. 211/2. Þe Justice sal tak knaulage of þe officeris how þai gowerne þaim in þair officis.

1424.  Sc. Acts Jas. I. (1814), II. 4/2. Lele men and discret;… the quhilkis sall byde knawlege befor þe king gif þai haif done thair deuoir.

1472–3.  Rolls Parlt., VI. 5/1. After suche serches, enquerres, and knoweleche taken and had.

1526.  Tindale, Acts xxv. 21. When Paul had appealed to be kept into the knowledge [so Coverd., Great, Rheims; Wyclif knowynge, Genev. examination, 1611 hearing, R. V. decision] off Cesar.

1600.  Holland, Livy, IV. xxvi. 156. The taking knowledge of such, as pretended to bee freed,… was put off untill the war was ended.

1732.  J. Louthian, Form of Process Scotl., 272. And remit them and the Libel, as found relevant, to the Knowledge of an Assize.

  † 4.  gen. Cognizance, notice: only in phr. to take knowledge of, to take cognizance or notice of, to notice, observe; in quot. 1609, to become aware of (cf. 8). Obs.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., II. i. 13. Take you as ’twere some distant knowledge of him.

1609.  Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXVII. ii. 305. When knowledge was taken with exceeding great sorrow, of this overthrow.

1611.  Bible, Ruth ii. 10. Why haue I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? Ibid., Isa. lviii. 3. Wherefore haue wee afflicted our soule, & thou takest no knowledge?

1611.  B. Jonson, Catiline, IV. vi. A state’s anger Should not take knowledge either of fools or women.

1623.  J. Robinson, Lett., 19 Dec., in W. Bradford, Plymouth Plantation (1856), 163. So are we glad to take knowledg of it in that fullnes we doe.

  II.  Senses derived from the verb KNOW, in its later uses.

  * The fact or condition of knowing.

  5.  The fact of knowing a thing, state, etc., or (in general sense) a person; acquaintance; familiarity gained by experience.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15931. Coth petre, ‘knaulage [Gött. cnaulage, Fairf. knawlage] of him had i neuer nan.’ Ibid. (a. 1350), 5061 (Gött.). Mi fadir faris wele, sir, I wat. Knaulage [Cott. knauing] of ȝoures haue I nan.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 337. Knawlage off mony statis, May quhile awailȝe full mony gatis.

1484.  Caxton, Fables of Alfonce, i. I herd of two marchaunts whiche neuer had sene eche other … but they had knowleche eche of the other by theyr lettres.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Chron. viii. 18. Hiram sent him shippes by his seruauntes which had knowlege of the See.

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 169. The Antient Geographers … had no knowledge of these Tartars.

1771.  Junius Lett., liv. 281. His knowledge of human nature must be limited indeed.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. x. 67. Thus expanding my knowledge of the glaciers.

  † b.  absol. in phr. to grow out of (one’s) knowledge: to cease to be known, to become unknown or unfamiliar. Obs.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, V. xliii. 167. Albeit it be nowe growen out of knowledge, yet we haue thought it good to describe the same.

1623.  Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., Pref. 6. The Hebrew it selfe … grew so out of knowledge among the people that they understood not our Saviours Eli, Eli, lammasabactani.

1722.  De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 199. I was grown out of everybody’s knowledge.

1754.  Foote, Knights, I. (1778), 3/1. Master Timothy is almost grown out of knowledge, Sir Gregory.

1864.  D. G. Mitchell, Sev. Stor., 33. Now, he must have grown out of my knowledge.

  † 6.  a. Personal acquaintance, friendship, intimacy. b. Those with whom one is acquainted, one’s acquaintances; = ACQUAINTANCE 3. Obs.

1388.  Wyclif, Luke ii. 44. Thei … souȝten hym among hise cosyns and his knouleche [1382 knowen].

1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 4. Þe brethren and sustren of þe bretherhede … shul euery ȝer … hold to-geder, for to norishe more knowelech and loue, a fest.

c. 1483.  Caxton, Dialogues, 4/13. And ye mete ony That ye know Or that they be of your knowelech [de vostre cognoissance].

1509.  Bp. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 290. She was bounteous and lyberall to euery persone of her knowlege or aquayntaunce.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 297. I shall desire more loue and knowledge of you.

  7.  Sexual intimacy. Const. of († with). Now only in carnal knowledge. (archaic and legal.)

a. 1425.  Cursor M., 11056 (Trin.). Þe ton was ȝonge mayden þon, Þe toþer had knowleche wiþ mon.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 17. Neuer erthely man hadde I of knowleche. wherethrough I sholde haue childe.

1540.  Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 38 § 2. Such mariages beyng … consummate with bodily knowlage.

1686.  Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 176. He was accused of having Carnall Knowledge of his Brother in Law’s women Servants.

1883.  Wharton’s Law Lex. (ed. 7), 691/1. Rape, the carnal knowledge of a woman by force against her will.

  8.  Acquaintance with a fact; perception, or certain information of, a fact or matter; state of being aware or informed; consciousness (of anything). The object is usually a proposition expressed or implied: e.g., the knowledge that a person is poor, knowledge of his poverty.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvi. (Nycholas), 114. He t[h]ocht to wak … for til get knawlag & to se quha It wes helpyt hyme sa.

1422.  trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 208. By the eeris we haue knowlech of Sovne.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron. Edw. IV., 200. So that this civill warre should seme to all men, to have been begon without his assent or knowledge.

1604.  E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. viii. 230. They labour in these mines in continuall darkenes and obscuritie, without knowledge of day or night.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., II. 185. Till big with knowledge of approaching woes The prince of augurs, Halitherses, rose.

1796.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., ii. Till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Demerara, ii. 16. The knowledge that he might at any hour be called upon … stimulated his studies of his duties.

  b.  absol. Acquaintance with facts, range of information, ken. Esp. in phrases as to one’s knowledge, so far as one is aware; also, as one is aware, as one can testify (in latter sense, also, of one’s k.); to come to one’s knowledge, to become known to one.

1542.  N. Udall, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 3. To my knowlege I have not eftsons offended.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 103. According to the measure of your knowledge, and proportion of your policie.

c. 1592.  Marlowe, Massacre Paris, I. ii. Of my knowledge, in one cloister keep Five hundred fat Franciscan friars.

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 168. Who,… if ever it should come to their knowledge, that they had sold any fish.

1820.  Examiner, 8 Oct., 641/2. A better paid witness … had never come to his knowledge.

1872.  E. Peacock, Mabel Heron, II. i. 17. What came to my knowledge.

  9.  Intellectual acquaintance with, or perception of, fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension; the fact, state or condition of understanding. † Formerly, also, the faculty of understanding, intelligence, intellect.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 217. God wole þat meny þinges passe þe knoweleche of man.

1422.  trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 212. A stronge argument to Shewe … the Sotilte of thy knowleche.

1508.  Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 300. Ay the fule did forȝet, for febilnes of knawlege.

1593.  Q. Eliz., trans. Boeth., pr. v. 115. That is not opinion, but an included purenes of the hyest knoledge that is shut in no lymites.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., IV. i. § 2. Knowledge … seems to me to be nothing but the perception of the connexion and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of any of our ideas.

1748.  Hartley, Observ. Man, II. Introd. 1. The Infinite Power, Knowlege, and Goodness of God.

1828.  Whately, Logic (1857), 164, note. Knowledge … implies … firm belief, of what is true,… on sufficient grounds.

1836–7.  Sir W. Hamilton, Metaph. (1859), I. iii. 58. Philosophical knowledge,… is thus the knowledge of effects as dependent on their causes.

1857.  Buckle, Civiliz., I. v. 246. The knowledge on which all civilization is based, solely consists in an acquaintance with the relations which things and ideas bear to each other and to themselves.

1877.  E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, iv. 193. That Knowledge is composed of Judgments: the criteria of the judgments composing it being truth and certainty.

  b.  Const. of (something). Also in pl. (now rare).

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., II. ii. (1495), 27. Mannes vnderstondynge & inwytte gadreth knowlege of some thynge of the knowlege of other thynges.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 73. Disputing & arguing for to haue knowlech of y^e trouth of a thing.

1670.  A. Roberts, Adventures T. S., 146. They do it by the Knowledges that they have of Nature.

1878.  Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., iii. 31. Knowledge of nature consists, to a great extent, in understanding the causes of things.

  c.  with pl. A mental apprehension; a perception, intuition, or other cognition. rare.

1563.  Homilies, II. Rogation Week, I. (1859), 470. To have a knowledge of the power and divinity of God.

1626.  T. H., trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 123. To proceed … by such knowledges, as are common, with brute beastes, and forsake those of men.

1825.  Coleridge, Aids Refl. (1848), I. 128. It is the office … of reason, to bring a unity into all our conceptions and several knowledges.

1836–7.  Sir W. Hamilton, Metaph. (1859), I. iii. 57. These two cognitions or knowledges have, accordingly, received different names.

1872.  Lowell, Wks. (1890), IV. 184. With Dante wisdom is the generalization from many several knowledges of small account by themselves.

  † d.  Med. Diagnosis: cf. KNOWLEDGE v. 5. Obs.

1541.  R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., etc. N ij. Is the Cyrurgyen bounde to haue the knowledge of the blode that is drawen?… No, but the beholdynge of the said blode belongeth to Physycyens.

1655.  Culpepper, etc. Riverius, X. v. 292. The Knowledg in general is manifest…. The Parts Sending have a more difficult Diagnosis or way of Knowledg.

  † e.  To come to (one’s own) knowledge, to recover one’s understanding; to come to one’s senses. Obs.

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1702. Þenne he wayned hym his wyt … Þat he com to knawlach & kenned hym seluen.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Blanchardyn, xiv. 49. Euyn at these wordes cam the prouost tyl his owne knowlege ageyne.

  10.  Acquaintance with a branch of learning, a language, or the like; theoretical or practical understanding of an art, science, industry, etc.; † skill in or to do something (obs.). (Rarely in plural.)

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xl. (Ninian), 130. Þane trawalit he besyli, til he in knavlage of clergy … wes wise Inuch.

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 325. The King had greit knawledge the countrie to ken.

1508.  Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 455. Folk a cury may miscuke, that knawledge wantis.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 201. He had no greate knoweledge in the latyn tongue.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. 15. Mariners brought up in Practical Knowledge of Navigation at Sea.

a. 1774.  Goldsm., Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776), I. 210. Nor were the ancients without a great knowledge in this art.

1782.  Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ode to R. A.’s, iii. Wks. 1812, I. 20. With scarce more knowledges than these He earns a guinea every day with ease.

1841.  Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 85. He … embraced a knowledge of all the medical and other sciences.

1851.  Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 1278. This article is … made by young women who have no knowledge of drawing.

  11.  In general sense: The fact or condition of being instructed, or of having information acquired by study or research; acquaintance with ascertained truths, facts or principles; information acquired by study; learning; erudition.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 27. Knowlege is better than ignoraunce.

1559.  W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 46. Knowledge hath no enemie but ignoraunce.

1590.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VIII. 71. In gret honour for his eruditioun and knawledge.

1611.  Bible, Eccl. i. 18. For in much wisedome is much griefe: and hee that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.

1784.  Cowper, Task, VI. 96. Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.

1856.  Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. IV. iii. § 17. The highest knowledge always involves a more advanced perception of the fields of the unknown.

1870.  M. D. Conway, Earthw. Pilgr., xviii. 220. One might say that no kind or amount of human knowledge were too much for woman.

  ** The object of knowing; that which is known or made known.

  † 12.  Information; intelligence; notice, intimation. Obs.

1419.  Hen. V., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 62. We remitte hem to have ful declaracion and verrai knaweleche of you in that matere.

c. 1440.  Generydes, 1160. Whan she hadde tideng And trew knowlage of Auferius.

1473.  Warkw., Chron., 11. He yaff knoleage to his peple that he wulde holde withe the Erle of Warwyke.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 327. He imediatly sent knowledge into the whole countrie.

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXVI. xxvi. 603. There hee published and gave knowledge, That hee would shape his course from thence for Anticyra.

1722.  De Foe, Plague (1756), 49. Shall give knowledge thereof to the Examiner of Health.

  13.  The sum of what is known.

1534.  Starkey, Lett., in England (1878), p. x. I … passyd ouer in to Italy, whereas I so delytyd in the contemplacyon of natural Knolege.

1559.  W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 142. The proper nature of suche in whose mynde knoweledge have once builded her Boure.

a. 1628.  Preston, New Covt. (1634), 446. You … may have abundance of emptie and unprofitable knowledge, without Grace.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VII. 126. Knowledge is as food, and needs no less Her Temperance over Appetite, to know In measure what the mind may well contain.

1753.  Johnson, Adventurer, No. 85, ¶ 7. He is by no means to be accounted useless or idle who has stored his mind with acquired knowledge.

1823.  De Quincey, Lett. to Young Man, Wks. 1860, XIV. 58. All knowledge may be commodiously distributed into science and erudition.

1833.  (title) The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.

1877.  E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, iv. 139. We speak of knowledge as stored up in books. But in reality what books contain is not knowledge, but only symbols of knowledge.

Mod.  Every branch of knowledge.

  14.  (with pl.) A branch of learning; a science; an art. (Rarely in sing.)

1581.  Sidney, Apol. Poetrie (Arb.), 20. Poetry,… the … first nurse, whose milk by little and little enabled them to feed afterwards of tougher knowledges.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xvii. § 9. The mathematics, which are the most abstracted of knowledges.

1662.  J. Chandler, Van Helmont’s Oriat., To Rdr. Many clear fundamental Knowledges and Arts.

1825.  Coleridge, Aids Refl. (1848), I. Pref. 19. A land abounding with men, able in arts, learning, and knowledges manifold.

1860.  Marsh, Eng. Lang., 28. The superior attractions and supposed claims of other knowledges.

  † 15.  A sign or mark by which anything is known, recognized or distinguished; a token.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 204/2. A knawlege, nota,… specimen, experimentum.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cclxxviii. 416. At theyr departyng they thought to make a knowledge that they had ben there; for they set the subbarbes afyre.

1555.  W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. iv. 141. Thei deuised … circumcision, because thei would haue a notable knowledge betwene them and other nacions.

  III.  16. attrib. and Comb., as knowledge element, power, -tree; knowledge-full, -kindled, -proof adjs.; knowledge-box, -casket, humorous names for the head.

1796.  Mod. Gulliver’s Trav., 194. His head being differently formed to that of others, by producing what had been his *knowledge-box, my word could not be doubted.

1874.  Burnand, My Time, v. 42. With all these odds and ends, my knowledge box was fairly stored.

1879.  Bain, Education as a Science, xii. 402. The work of teaching *knowledge elements.

1879.  St. George’s Hosp. Rep., IX. 793. Schwartze, in his concise but *knowledge-full work on the pathology of the ear.

1886.  Lowell, Wks. (1890), VI. 150. There are some pupils who are *knowledge-proof.

1598.  Rowlands, Poems on Passion, Christ to Wom. Hierus. (Hunterian Cl.), 10.

  [Note. The origin of knowledge sb. and vb. and the question of the original relations between the sb. and vb. themselves, are a difficult problem. According to the extant evidence, the vb. is exemplified nearly a century before the sb., and is found only in southern Eng., with a form in -lechien, -leche, while the sb., when it appears c. 1300, is found only in northern dialect, and has its earliest form in -lage. Thus the northern MSS. of Cursor Mundi have numerous examples of the sb.—the earliest known,—but do not use the vb. Late in the 14th c., the sb. is found in midl. and south. (first in Wyclif, a northern man), with the forms -lache, -leche; in the 15th c. the vb. appears sparingly in the north, with the form -lage, -lege. If the sb. were at first only northern, the want of earlier examples may be explained by there being no northern literature of the 12th and early 13th c.; but this does not account for the app. absence of the sb. from southern literature before Wyclif, and leaves the early relations between the vb. and sb. very perplexing. It can hardly be doubted, in view of the earliest sense of both, that they have a common origin; but what this was it is not easy to determine. The sb. has no parallel in Eng., nor app. in any Teutonic lang. Some have thought it related to ONorse derivative sbs. in -leik-r ‘play, exercise, action. e.g., kunnleik-r knowledge. The OE. cognate ending was -lác, as in wedlác wedlock; but neither the ON. nor OE. form could have given an early ME. -leche; this would have required an OE. -lǽce, of which there is no trace. If, on the other hand, we start from the vb. i)cnawlechien, there are difficulties in explaining the formation of this also. It has been proposed to associate it with OE. verbs in -lǽc(e)an, pa. t. lǽhte, a few of which came down into early ME. in -lêchen, -lêhte. In OE. these usually go with derivative adjs. in -líc (from an adj. or sb.), to which they are supposed to stand somehow in ablaut relation; e.g., cúðlíc friendly, cúðlǽcan be friendly with, to treat like a friend, efenlíc equal, efenlǽcan to make equal, imitate, néahlíc near, néahlǽcan to draw nigh, approach, rihtlic right, correct, ʓe)rihtlǽcan to make right, correct, sumorlic summerlike, sumorlǽcan to draw near to summer, winterlíc winterly, winterlǽcan to draw near to winter, etc. Here the radical part is an adj. or sb. If now early ME. cnaw, KNOW sb.¹, ‘acknowledgement, confession,’ went back to an OE. ʓecnáw, it is possible that, either immediately by analogy, or through an adj. *ʓecnáwlíc = ʓecnǽwe ‘conscious of, acknowledging,’ there was formed a derivative vb. *ʓecnáwlǽcan ‘to become conscious of, make acknowledgement or confession of,’ which would give an early ME. *i-cnawlechen, -lehte. True, these are not the ME. forms actually found; but some variation in the formation of these verbs appears in the instances cited by Sievers (Ags. Gram., ed. 3, § 407, Ann. 17, 18), including a pa. pple. ʓerihtlǽced, in the West Saxon Past. Care, beside ʓerihtlǽht, while the Rushw. copy of the Lindisfarne Gloss shows, for néahlǽcan, a form néoliciʓa, pa. t. néolicade, néalocode, pa. pple. ʓinéolicad; so that, perhaps, the early ME. i)cnawlechien, i-cnoulechien, -lechede, may be taken as having this origin. If this was so, the verb to knowledge was first formed, and the sb. was derived from it, which would also agree with the extant historical data for the two words, and account for the original sense of the sb.]