knot
When referring to speed, 'knot' is used in the singular for one and plural for more than one (e.g., '1 knot', '10 knots'). It is specifically used for ships and aircraft. As a verb, 'knot' can describe both the intentional act of tying something and the accidental process of becoming tangled. In medical or physical contexts, 'knots' often refers to tension in muscles, usually described as feeling like hard lumps under the skin.
💬Casual Conversation
Mark, these cables are a total knot. I'm losing it.
Chill out. Just wing it and call IT tomorrow.
Meanings
A fastening made by tying a piece of string, rope, or similar material.
"He tied a tight knot in the end of the rope."
A unit of speed used in maritime and aerial navigation, equal to one nautical mile per hour.
"The ship was cruising at a steady 15 knots."
A hard, tangled mass of hair or fiber; or a lump in a muscle.
"She spent an hour brushing the knots out of her daughter's hair."
To tie something into a knot.
"She knotted the ribbon around the gift box."
To become tangled or twisted into knots.
"The garden twine tended to knot if left in the sun."