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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

know like the back of one's hand en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (qualifier:simile, transitive) To be intimately knowledgeable about something.
    • “I know American audiences like the back of my hand,” she says, sitting in a dressing room in London at the end of a long day of rehearsals; […] 2024 April 27, Tim Bano, quoting Sanaz Toossi, “It’s a play born of rage”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 15:
    • He knows the software like the back of his hand, and can often solve problems over the phone, without looking.
    • "I can; know that country like the back of my hand. You haven't got a road map, I suppose. Well, no matter, I'll give you the lay of the land without it." 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 218:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
know like the palm of one's hand alternative lexicographic
knows like the back of one's hand Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
known like the back of one's hand Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
knowing like the back of one's hand Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
knew like the back of one's hand Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

give someone the back of one's hand

Synonyms

know like a book · know inside and out

Translations (16)

sh познавати као свој џеп (be intimately knowledgeable about) · pt conhecer como a palma da mão (be intimately knowledgeable about) · de etwas kennen wie die eigene Westentasche (be intimately knowledgeable about) · pl znać od podszewki (be intimately knowledgeable about) · sh poznavati kao svoj džep (be intimately knowledgeable about) · es conocer algo como la palma de su mano (be intimately knowledgeable about) · sh poznavati kao svoj dlan (be intimately knowledgeable about) · sv känna som sin egen ficka (be intimately knowledgeable about) · sh познавати као свој длан (be intimately knowledgeable about) · fr connaître comme sa poche (be intimately knowledgeable about) · fi tuntea kuin omat taskunsa (be intimately knowledgeable about) · pl znać jak własną kieszeń (be intimately knowledgeable about) · nl kennen als zijn broekzak (be intimately knowledgeable about) · cmn 瞭如指掌 /了如指掌 (be intimately knowledgeable about) · hu ismeri, mint a tenyerét (be intimately knowledgeable about) · no kjenne som sin egen bukselomme (be intimately knowledgeable about)