noun
knob
nob
noun
1
A rounded lump or handle, especially one used to turn or open something.
"Turn the volume knob to the left to make it quieter."
"He gripped the door knob but found it locked."
2
A rounded hill or bump on a ridge.
"The trail climbed over a small knob before dropping into the valley."
How to Use Knob
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rounded lump, especially a control you turn, like on a radio or door.
When to use it
In British slang, "knob" is also a crude term for the penis, or an insult meaning an idiot — context makes the meaning obvious.
Common pairings
a door knob
turn the knob
a knob of butter
Word Forms
knobbed past tense, knobs plural, knobs singular
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Etymology
From Middle English knobbe, related to Middle Low German knobbe ("knob, bud"), part of a wider family of Germanic words for lumps and bumps.