you know

alternative pronunciation spelling slang y'know · alternative pronunciation spelling slang yunno

1. informalExpression signifying a pause or hesitation.

   Once, I remember, I was watching the twins on a trampoline, you know, and they looked so beautiful, and I was happy because they were happy, you know.

   2013, Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight (motion picture), spoken by Jesse (Ethan Hawke)

   1 more example

   I don’t usually get nervous in games and, you know, taking free kicks and penalties but that’s the first time I’ve been that nervous in, in a game, where I have to, I’m in a situation where I’m, you know […]

   2002 December 15, “Interview with David Beckham”, in Breakfast with Frost, spoken by David Beckham, via BBC

2. informalExpression used to imply meaning, rather than say it, such as when a person is embarrassed.

   A: I can’t go to the party because... you know... B: Your mom is still mad at you, huh? A: Yeah...

3. informalUsed as a rhetorical question to confirm agreement, knowing or understanding at the end of a statement.

   I just wasn't into it, you know?

   3 more examples

   But I guess that's life, you know?

   This was already a fresh departure for me. I was not used to get things that way, you know.

   1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198

   "I heard Winnie the Pooh was like garlic to a vampire to the Chinese commies," he said. "Popular arts and music, poetry, dancing and singing is a threat to those in power, and I'm really trying to bring back that rock-and-roll rebellious spirit into music, you know."

   2024 January 29 [2024 January 26], Tim Lee, Ray Chung, quoting Brendan Kavanagh, “London YouTuber hid in van, received death threats after piano face-off”, in Luisetta Mudie, transl., Radio Free Asia, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2024

   Synonyms: you see, do you know what I'm saying, you know what I'm saying, right, eh, don't you know

4. informalUsed to introduce information.

   You know, he's actually pretty nice.

   1 more example

   Tali: You know, there's always a few who go on their Pilgrimages and never return. I always assumed something bad happened to them, but maybe they just wanted a different life.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Engineering, SSV Normandy

5. SingaporeSinglishUsed as a generic, conversational discourse marker, for casual emphasis.

   Huh? Because some idiot left the marker wrongly, I have to live with this bad experience for the rest of my life. Tell you ah, do you know how scary it is anot? It's so scary you know, drifting out there in open waters ah, for one whole day!

   2007, Prem Anand, Sebastian Leang, Wu Min Xu, The Noose, season 1, episode 1 (television production), spoken by Sandy C. Shaw (Alaric Tay), via Channel 5 (Mediacorp)

   Synonyms: know, right, like, er, erm, um

6. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see you, know.