ken

¹ American  

[ken] / kɛn /

noun

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

   an idea beyond one's ken.

2. range of sight or vision.

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verb (used with object)

kenned, kent, kenning

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, kent, kenning

1. British Dialect.

   1. to have knowledge of something.

   2. to understand.

Ken ² American  

[ken] / kɛn /

noun

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

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Ken. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Kentucky.

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ken ¹ British  

/ kɛn /

noun

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

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verb

1. dialect to know

2. dialect to understand; perceive

3. archaic (tr) to see

Ken. ² British  

abbreviation

1. Kentucky

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Etymology

Origin of ken

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. )