know someone when

present singular third person knows someone when · participle present knowing someone when · past knew someone when · participle past known someone when

1. pastusuallyTo have known a famous person before he or she was famous.

   1915, "Interesting People: Charles Bullard: A Famous Photographer of Cats", in "The American Magazine" His friends thought him crazy, as friends always think when a man has an original idea and acts on it. Now, when his friends speak of him they invariably add, "I knew him when—"

   3 more examples

   Of course when your school chum comes in from the old home town you want to send him back a life-long member of the "I-knew-him-when Club." You picture him back home, just a wee bit superior, as befits a friend of the great, holding forth to the boy's at the Sunshine Athletic Club.

   1918, Western Electric News

   The classical example of this is the "I knew him when" syndrome. Consider your immediate family. They know you as you really are, if anyone does.

   1971, W. A. Mambert, The Elements of Effective Communication: Idea, Power, Tactics, page 146

   "Well, congratulations. On the speech, everything." She stood up straighter and forced a smile. "I can always say I knew him when."

   2008, Lisa Tucker, The Cure for Modern Life, page 89