n. [ OE. knowlage, knowlege, knowleche, knawleche. The last part is the Icel. suffix -leikr, forming abstract nouns, orig. the same as Icel. leikr game, play, sport, akin to AS. lāc, Goth. laiks dance. See Know, and cf. Lake, v. i., Lark a frolic. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act or state of knowing; clear perception of fact, truth, or duty; certain apprehension; familiar cognizance; cognition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knowledge, which is the highest degree of the speculative faculties, consists in the perception of the truth of affirmative or negative propositions. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is or may be known; the object of an act of knowing; a cognition; -- chiefly used in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is a great difference in the delivery of the mathematics, which are the most abstracted of knowledges. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knowledges is a term in frequent use by Bacon, and, though now obsolete, should be revived, as without it we are compelled to borrow “cognitions” to express its import. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

To use a word of Bacon's, now unfortunately obsolete, we must determine the relative value of knowledges. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is gained and preserved by knowing; instruction; acquaintance; enlightenment; learning; scholarship; erudition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 1 Cor. viii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ignorance is the curse of God;
Knowledge, the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That familiarity which is gained by actual experience; practical skill; as, a knowledge of life. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shipmen that had knowledge of the sea. 1 Kings ix. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Scope of information; cognizance; notice; as, it has not come to my knowledge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst take knowledge of me? Ruth ii. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Sexual intercourse; -- usually preceded by carnal; same as carnal knowledge.

Syn. -- See Wisdom. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To acknowledge. [ Obs. ] “Sinners which knowledge their sins.” Tyndale. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. thoroughly acquainted with and skilled in something through study or experience; as, knowledgeable in classical languages. Opposite of unversed, unacquainted, and unfamiliar.
Syn. -- versed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. fully informed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. highly educated; having information or understanding.
Syn. -- enlightened, learned, lettered, literate, well-educated, well-read. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

-- knowledgeability, n. -- knowledgeably, adv. -- knowledgeableness, n. [ PJC ]

n. The application of computerized data and text manipulation to manage and interpret large bodies of knowledge, or find useful information in large bodies of data. The study of methods for knowledge engineering is generally considered as a branch of artificial intelligence. [ PJC ]

a. Requiring access to and manipulation of large quantities of knowledge; as, knowledge-intensive labor. [ PJC ]

n. A person whose occupation is predominantly concerned with generating or interpreting information, as contrasted with manual labor. [ PJC ]