knot

/nɑt/
noun
  1. A fastening made by tying together pieces of string, rope, or other material.
    • She couldn't undo the knot in her shoelaces.
    • The sailor showed us how to make a strong knot.
    • He tied a tight knot in the rope to secure the boat.
  2. A hard, round spot in wood where a branch once grew.
    • The carpenter avoided using boards with large knots for the shelf.
    • The wooden table had a small knot in the center of its surface.
    • He sanded the knot in the plank until it was smooth.
  3. A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used for ships and aircraft.
    • The ship was traveling at 20 knots across the ocean.
    • The airplane cruised at 500 knots.
    • The wind speed reached 30 knots during the storm.
  4. A tight, painful feeling in a muscle or in the stomach, often from stress or fear.
    • She felt a knot in her stomach before the big exam.
    • The news gave him a knot of anxiety in his chest.
    • After the workout, he had a knot in his shoulder muscle.
  5. A small group of people or things gathered closely together.
    • The children formed a knot around the storyteller.
    • A knot of reporters waited for the celebrity to arrive.
    • A knot of tourists stood outside the museum entrance.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To tie something in a knot or to become tangled or tied.
    • He knotted his tie carefully before the interview.
    • She knotted the ribbon around the gift box.
    • The rope knotted easily when it got wet.
  2. To cause a muscle or stomach to become tight and painful.
    • Worry knotted her insides as she waited for the call.
    • The stress knotted his stomach before the speech.
    • Her shoulders knotted up from sitting at the computer all day.
Synonyms
Antonyms
What does "knot" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean