ken

¹

[ ken ]

noun

1. knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception:

   an idea beyond one's ken.

2. range of sight or vision.

verb (used with object)

, kenned or kent, ken·ning.

1. Chiefly Scot.
   1. to know, have knowledge of or about, or be acquainted with (a person or thing).
   2. to understand or perceive (an idea or situation).
2. Scots Law. to acknowledge as heir; recognize by a judicial act.
3. Archaic. to see; descry; recognize.
4. British Dialect, Archaic.
   1. to declare, acknowledge, or confess (something).
   2. to teach, direct, or guide (someone).

verb (used without object)

, kenned or kent, ken·ning.

1. British Dialect.
   1. to have knowledge of something.
   2. to understand.

Ken

²

[ ken ]

noun

1. a male given name, form of Kendall or Kenneth.

Ken.

³

abbreviation for

1. Kentucky.

ken

¹

/ kɛn /

noun

1. range of knowledge or perception (esp in the phrases beyond or in one's ken )

verb

1. dialect.
   to know
2. dialect.
   to understand; perceive
3. archaic.
   tr to see

Ken.

²

abbreviation for

1. Kentucky

Word History and Origins

Origin of ken¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English kennen “to make known, see, know,” Old English cennan “to make known, declare”; cognate with Old Norse kenna, German kennen; akin to can ¹, know ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of ken¹

Old English cennan; related to Old Norse kenna to perceive, Old High German kennen to make known; see can ¹

Example Sentences

When I last visited Ken in hospital, he had just tuned into a political debate on BBC Radio Five Live - he kept it on in the background as we chatted.

From BBC

Standing at more than 6ft tall, many people referred to him as ‘Big Ken’ but he did not speak down to the audience, he spoke in their language and was respected for that.

From BBC

The former UTV political editor Ken Reid has died.

From BBC

“Ken was a special journalist in Northern Ireland as someone who managed to get to the heart of all the major political stories and cover the difficult issues whilst remaining the respect, admiration and affection of representatives from all political opinions”, Robinson said.

From BBC

Even as he lay gravely ill in hospital in recent days, Ken Reid was listening to the news on the radio.

From BBC