you know
Language: English
Part of speech: intj
Pronunciation: ipa: /juː nəʊ/
ipa: /ju noʊ/
Forms: form: y'know
form: yunno
Etymology: First attested as a filled pause in the early 18th century, as a euphemism in the mid-19th century.
Senses: examples: text: I don’t usually get nervous in games and, you know, taking free kicks and penalties but that’s the first time I’ve been that nervous in, in a game, where I have to, I’m in a situation where I’m, you know […]
ref: 2002 December 15, “Interview with David Beckham”, in Breakfast with Frost, spoken by David Beckham, via BBC:
text: Once, I remember, I was watching the twins on a trampoline, you know, and they looked so beautiful, and I was happy because they were happy, you know.
ref: 2013, Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight (motion picture), spoken by Jesse (Ethan Hawke):
glosses: Expression signifying a pause or hesitation.
examples: text: A: I can’t go to the party because... you know...
B: Your mom is still mad at you, huh?
A: Yeah...
glosses: Expression used to imply meaning, rather than say it, such as when a person is embarrassed.
examples: text: But I guess that's life, you know?
text: I just wasn't into it, you know?
text: This was already a fresh departure for me. I was not used to get things that way, you know.
ref: 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198:
text: "I heard Winnie the Pooh was like garlic to a vampire to the Chinese commies," he said. "Popular arts and music, poetry, dancing and singing is a threat to those in power, and I'm really trying to bring back that rock-and-roll rebellious spirit into music, you know."
ref: 2024 January 29 [2024 January 26], Tim Lee, Ray Chung, quoting Brendan Kavanagh, “London YouTuber hid in van, received death threats after piano face-off”, in Luisetta Mudie, transl., Radio Free Asia, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2024:
glosses: Used as a rhetorical question to confirm agreement, knowing or understanding at the end of a statement.
examples: text: You know, he's actually pretty nice.
text: Tali: You know, there's always a few who go on their Pilgrimages and never return. I always assumed something bad happened to them, but maybe they just wanted a different life.
ref: 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Engineering, SSV Normandy:
ref: 2016, Voice of America, Learning English (public domain), archived from the original on 25 Sep 2017:
roman: You know, Pete, I am new to D.C. The city is big. — Yeah. But you learn a little more every day.
glosses: Used to introduce information.
glosses: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see you, know.
Synonyms: sense: generic fillers
word: right
sense: generic fillers
word: like
sense: generic fillers
word: er
sense: generic fillers
word: erm
sense: generic fillers
word: um
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: you see
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: do you know what I'm saying
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: you know what I'm saying
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: right
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: eh
sense: confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement
word: don't you know
Related terms: if you know what I mean
if you know, you know
what do you know
wouldn't you know it
you know it
you-know-what
you know what
you know what I mean
you-know-who
you never know