---
title: knew — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «knew» in the Early Modern English dictionary: To be aware of someone or to recognise them; in the third sentence, to have chosen or loved someone before they were born. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# knew

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Joseph, they, one, I, Rabbi · **What happens:** be, recognise, choose, love, bear, know · **To what, where:** them, third sentence, someone, they, brethren, Joseph · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«knew» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [knew in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/knew.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To be aware of someone or to recognise them; in the third sentence, to have chosen or loved someone before they were born.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:knew:m1:1
# text = To be aware of someone or to recognise them; in the third sentence, to have chosen or loved someone before they were born.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	cop	_	_
3	aware	aware	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	recognise	recognise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	third	third	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	14	amod	_	_
14	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
17	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	aux	_	_
18	chosen	choose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	8	parataxis	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	loved	love	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	18	conj	_	_
21	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	20	obj	_	_
22	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
23	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj:pass	_	_
24	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux:pass	_	_
25	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	20	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | of someone; aware *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **recognise** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  | the third sentence |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer they=Stimulus |
| 3 | **choose** | to-infinitive · perfect |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **love** | participle |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer someone=Stimulus |
| 5 | **bear** | past · passive |  | they |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah GEN.42.8, JPS 1917.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:knew:x1:1
# text = And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew him not.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	Joseph	Joseph	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	brethren	brethren	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | Joseph | Joseph's brethren |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer brethren=Stimulus |
| 2 | **not** **know** | past | they | Joseph |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer he=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No one knew what to do.

<!-- .note -->
From Fifty Famous Stories Retold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:knew:x2:1
# text = No one knew what to do.
1	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | no one |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee." Rabbi Luria, gives the Hebrew version which I have translated.

<!-- .note -->
From Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:knew:x3:1
# text = Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee."
1	Before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	formed	form	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
4	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	belly	belly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** | past | I | thee |  | the belly |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location thou=Theme |
| 2 | **know** | past | I | thee |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer thou=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Rabbi Luria, gives the Hebrew version which I have translated.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:knew:x3:2
# text = Rabbi Luria, gives the Hebrew version which I have translated.
1	Rabbi	Rabbi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	Luria	Luria	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
4	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	Hebrew	Hebrew	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	translated	translate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | Rabbi | the Hebrew version |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent version=Theme |
| 2 | **translate** | present · perfect · passive |  | the Hebrew version |  |  |  |  | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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