know what one is about

verb

To understand one's situation, how to act in that situation, and the results of those actions.

Similar
know what one is doingknow one's ass from a hole in the groundknow shit from Shinola
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Meanings

verbknow what one is about (third-person singular simple present knows what one is about, present participle knowing what one is about, simple past knew what one was about, past participle known what one was about)

present singular third person knows what one is about · participle present knowing what one is about · past knew what one was about · participle past known what one was about · alternative know what one is doing

  1. informalTo understand one's situation, how to act in that situation, and the results of those actions.

    Synonyms: know what one is doing, know one's ass from a hole in the ground, know shit from Shinola

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo understand one's situation, how to act in that situation, and the results of those actions.

Similar
know what one is doingknow one's ass from a hole in the groundknow shit from Shinola
Also see
know one's ass from a hole in the groundknow what one is doing

Translations

Polish znać się na rzeczy
  • znać się na rzeczyTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

know what one is about. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20what%20one%20is%20about

MLA

“know what one is about.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20what%20one%20is%20about. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “know what one is about,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20what%20one%20is%20about.

Source: know what one is about on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.