be known to — used to say that something is widely recognized, accepted, or reported as true, based on general knowledge or evidence
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: used to say that something is widely recognized, accepted, or reported as true, based on general knowledge or evidence
Pronunciation (IPA): /biː noʊn tuː/
Example Sentences
- Cats are known to sleep for up to 16 hours a day.
- This tiny restaurant is known to have the best kimchi stew in the whole city.
- My dog is known to steal socks and hide them under the bed like a tiny thief.
be known to
ADJECTIVE[/biː noʊn tuː/]
used to say that something is widely recognized, accepted, or reported as true, based on general knowledge or evidence
The old lighthouse keeper is known to every sailor along this coast.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrase 'be known to' derives from Old English 'cnawan' (to know), where 'known' is the past participle form. The construction combines the auxiliary verb 'be' with the preposition 'to', creating a passive periphrastic expression meaning 'to be recognized or understood by someone.' This structure transformed the active fact of 'someone knows it' into a fixed passive idiom, 'it is known to people.'
Breakdown
know (Old English cnawan, 'to perceive or understand') + -n (past participle suffix) + to (preposition indicating recipient or target of the knowledge).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Cats are known to sleep for up to 16 hours a day.”
“This tiny restaurant is known to have the best kimchi stew in the whole city.”
“My dog is known to steal socks and hide them under the bed like a tiny thief.”
“He is known to forget his own birthday every single year!”
“This area is known to be quite dangerous at night, so be careful.”
📚Related Words
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