knit
knit Lexical Profile
knit Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To make a garment or fabric by interlocking loops of yarn or thread with knitting needles or a machine.
"She learned how to knit a warm wool scarf from her grandmother."
To unite, join, or grow together closely and securely (especially of broken bones or a community).
"The doctor kept the arm in a cast for six weeks so the fractured bone could knit properly."
To contract or draw together in wrinkles (of the eyebrows or forehead), typically in concentration or displeasure.
"He tended to knit his brows whenever he was trying to solve a difficult puzzle."
• noun
A fabric or textile made by interlocking loops of yarn.
"Jersey is a lightweight knit commonly used for making T-shirts."
A knitted garment, especially a sweater or pullover.
"The boutique stocked up on chunky wool knits for the autumn season."
A basic knitting stitch in which the yarn is held at the back of the work and the needle is inserted into the front of the loop.
"A standard ribbing pattern alternates between a knit and a purl stitch."
• adjective
Made by interlocking loops of yarn or thread; knitted.
"He wore a comfortable knit shirt to the casual Friday meeting."
Word Nuance & Usage
The verb 'knit' has two accepted past tense and past participle forms: 'knitted' is standard when referring to making garments with yarn, while 'knit' is generally preferred for figurative senses (such as uniting a community or a healing bone) and in compound adjectives like 'close-knit'.
• Rhymes for knit
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cnyttan' ('to tie in a knot'), derived from the Proto-Germanic root '*knuttjan' and closely related to the noun 'knot'.