: either of two sandpipers (Calidris canutus and C. tenuirostris) that breed in the Arctic and winter in temperate or warm parts of the New and Old World
Noun (1)
from the summit we could see knots of houses up and down the river valley
felt a small knot on the back of his head
their business partnership is strengthened by the knot of personal friendship knots of people were quietly chatting around the meeting hall
the situation involved so many legal knots that we decided to get a lawyer Verb
He knotted his tie so that both ends would be the same length.
the extension cords were hopelessly knotted together
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Noun
Although the Navy has never officially disclosed the class’s maximum speed, publicly available estimates place it at over 35 knots while submerged.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Aug. 2026 In terms of grunt, the T60 is powered by two CAT 3512 engines, giving it a maximum speed of 16 knots and a cruising speed of 12 knots.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
4 Aug. 2026
Verb
Javier Sanoja scored Conine with an RBI double and scored one batter later when Joe Mack followed with a run-scoring single that knotted the score at 2-2.—Miami Herald,
23 July 2026 Some sort of pink fabric was knotted up around where the ratchet strap was strung from the tree.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for knot
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English cnotta; akin to Old High German knoto knot
Noun (2)
Middle English knott
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
: an interlacing of the parts of one or more flexible bodies (as threads or sutures) in a lump to prevent their spontaneous separation see surgeon's knot
2
: a usually firm or hard lump, swelling, or protuberance (as in a muscle or on the surface of a bone) or process
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