tie the knot
noun
1.
an interlacing, twining, looping, etc., of a cord, rope, or the like, drawn tight into a knob or lump, for fastening, binding, or connecting two cords together or a cord to something else.
2.
a piece of ribbon or similar material tied or folded upon itself and used or worn as an ornament.
3.
a group or cluster of persons or things: a knot of spectators.
4.
the hard, cross-grained mass of wood at the place where a branch joins the trunk of a tree.
5.
a part of this mass showing in a piece of lumber, wood panel, etc.
6.
Anatomy, Zoology. a protuberance or swelling on or in a part or process, as in a muscle.
7.
a protuberance in the tissue of a plant; an excrescence on a stem, branch, or root; a node or joint in a stem, especially when of swollen form.
8.
any of various fungal diseases of trees characterized by the formation of an excrescence, knob, or gnarl.
9.
an involved, intricate, or difficult matter; complicated problem.
10.
Nautical.
a.
a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile or about 1.15 statute miles per hour.
b.
a unit of 47 feet 3 inches (13.79 meters) on a log line, marked off by knots.
c.
a nautical mile.
11.
a bond or tie: the knot of matrimony.
12.
verb (used with object)
13.
to tie in a knot; form a knot in.
14.
to secure or fasten by a knot.
15.
to form protuberances, bosses, or knobs in; make knotty.
00:10
Tie the knot
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
verb (used without object)
Idioms 16.
to become tied or tangled in a knot.
17.
to form knots or joints.
18.
Origin:
before 1000; (noun) Middle English knot(te), Old English cnotta; cognate with Dutch knot, German knoten to knit; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun
before 1000; (noun) Middle English knot(te), Old English cnotta; cognate with Dutch knot, German knoten to knit; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun
Related forms
knot·less, adjective
knot·like, adjective
Synonyms
3. company, band, crew, gang, crowd. 7. lump, knob, gnarl. 9. perplexity, puzzle, conundrum.
3. company, band, crew, gang, crowd. 7. lump, knob, gnarl. 9. perplexity, puzzle, conundrum.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To tie the knot
Collins
World English Dictionary
knot1 (nɒt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | any of various fastenings formed by looping and tying a piece of rope, cord, etc, in upon itself, to another piece of rope, or to another object |
| 2. | a prescribed method of tying a particular knot |
| 3. | a tangle, as in hair or string |
| 4. | a decorative bow or fastening, as of ribbon or braid |
| 5. | a small cluster or huddled group |
| 6. | a tie or bond: the marriage knot |
| 7. | a difficult problem |
| 8. | a protuberance or lump of plant tissues, such as that occurring on the trunks of certain trees |
| 9. | a. a hard mass of wood at the point where a branch joins the trunk of a tree |
| b. a cross section of this, usually roundish and cross-grained, visible in a piece of timber | |
| 10. | a sensation of constriction, caused by tension or nervousness: his stomach was tying itself in knots |
| 11. | a. pathol a lump of vessels or fibres formed in a part, as in a muscle |
| b. anatomy a protuberance on an organ or part | |
| 12. | a unit of speed used by nautical vessels and aircraft, being one nautical mile (about 1.15 statute miles or 1.85 km) per hour |
| 13. | one of a number of equally spaced knots on a log line used to indicate the speed of a ship in nautical miles per hour |
| 14. | at a rate of knots very fast |
| 15. | tie someone in knots to completely perplex or confuse someone |
| 16. | informal tie the knot to get married |
| —vb , knots, knotting, knotted | |
| 17. | (tr) to tie or fasten in a knot |
| 18. | to form or cause to form into a knot |
| 19. | (tr) to ravel or entangle or become ravelled or entangled |
| 20. | (tr) to make (an article or a design) by tying thread in an interlaced pattern of ornamental knots, as in macramé |
| [Old English cnotta; related to Old High German knoto, Old Norse knūtr] | |
| 'knotter1 | |
| —n | |
| 'knotless1 | |
| —adj | |
| 'knotlike1 | |
| —adj | |
| knot2 (nɒt) | |
| —n | |
| a small northern sandpiper, Calidris canutus, with a short bill and grey plumage | |
| [C15: of unknown origin] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
knot
O.E. cnotta "intertwining of ropes, cords, etc.," from P.Gmc. *knuttan- (cf. Low Ger. knütte, Du. knot, O.H.G. knoto, Ger. Knoten, perhaps also O.N. knutr "knot, knob"). Fig. sense of "difficult problem" was in O.E. (cf. Gordian knot). Symbolic of the bond of wedlock, early 13c. As an ornament of
dress, first attested c.1400. Meaning "thickened part or protuberance on tissue of a plant" is from late 14c. The nautical unit of measure (1630s) is from the practice of attaching knotted string to the log line. The ship's speed can be measured by the number of knots that play out while the sand glass is running.
"The distance between the knots on the log-line should contain 1/120 of a mile, supposing the glass to run exactly half a minute." [Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa, "A Voyage to South America" 1760]The verb meaning "to tie in a knot" is from 1547. Knot-hole is from 1726. Knothead "stupid person" is from 1940.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
knot (nŏt)
n.
A compact intersection of interlaced material, as of cord, ribbon, or rope.
A protuberant growth or swelling in a tissue, such as a gland.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Slang Dictionary
tie the knot definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
tie the knot
Get married; also, perform a marriage ceremony. For example, So when are you two going to tie the knot? or They asked their friend, who is a judge, to tie the knot. [Early 1700s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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