v. t. [ imp. & p. p. acknowledged p. pr. & vb. n. acknowledging ] [ Prob. fr. pref. a- + the verb knowledge. See Knowledge, and cf. Acknow. ] 1. To own or admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in; as, to acknowledge the being of a God. [ 1913 Webster ]

I acknowledge my transgressions. Ps. li. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

For ends generally acknowledged to be good. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To own or recognize in a particular character or relationship; to admit the claims or authority of; to give recognition to. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all thy ways acknowledge Him. Prov. iii. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

By my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To own with gratitude or as a benefit or an obligation; as, to acknowledge a favor, the receipt of a letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

They his gifts acknowledged none. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To own as genuine; to assent to, as a legal instrument, to give it validity; to avow or admit in legal form; as, to acknowledge a deed. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To avow; proclaim; recognize; own; admit; allow; concede; confess. -- Acknowledge, Recognize. Acknowledge is opposed to keep back, or conceal, and supposes that something had been previously known to us (though perhaps not to others) which we now feel bound to lay open or make public. Thus, a man acknowledges a secret marriage; one who has done wrong acknowledges his fault; and author acknowledges his obligation to those who have aided him; we acknowledge our ignorance. Recognize supposes that we have either forgotten or not had the evidence of a thing distinctly before our minds, but that now we know it (as it were) anew, or receive and admit in on the ground of the evidence it brings. Thus, we recognize a friend after a long absence. We recognize facts, principles, truths, etc., when their evidence is brought up fresh to the mind; as, bad men usually recognize the providence of God in seasons of danger. A foreign minister, consul, or agent, of any kind, is recognized on the ground of his producing satisfactory credentials. See also Confess. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Capable of being acknowledged. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

pos>adj. Generally accepted or recognized as correct or reasonable. Opposite of unacknowledged. [ Narrower terms: given, granted; unquestionable (vs. questionable) ] Also See: known.
Syn. -- accepted, recognized [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adv. Confessedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

/mhw>, n. 1. The act of acknowledging; admission; avowal; owning; confession. “An acknowledgment of fault.” Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of owning or recognizing in a particular character or relationship; recognition as regards the existence, authority, truth, or genuineness; a statement acknowledging something or someone. [ 1913 Webster +WordNet 1.5 ]

Immediately upon the acknowledgment of the Christian faith, the eunuch was baptized by Philip. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The owning of a benefit received; courteous recognition; the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged; an expression of thanks. Shak.
Syn. -- recognition [ 1913 Webster +WordNet 1.5 ]

4. Something given or done in return for a favor, message, etc. Smollett. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A declaration or avowal of one's own act, to give it legal validity; as, the acknowledgment of a deed before a proper officer. Also, the certificate of the officer attesting such declaration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Acknowledgment money, in some parts of England, a sum paid by copyhold tenants, on the death of their landlords, as an acknowledgment of their new lords. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Confession; concession; recognition; admission; avowal; recognizance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who acknowledges. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Disacknowledged p. pr. & vb. n. Disacknowledging. ] To refuse to acknowledge; to deny; to disown. [ Obs. ] South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Knowledge of a thing before it happens, or of whatever is to happen; prescience. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I foreknew,
Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Mutual knowledge or acquaintance. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

n. Prior knowledge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Knowledge of one's self, or of one's own character, powers, limitations, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not acknowledged or recognized. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

For which bounty to us lent
Of him unknowledged or unsent. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]