KNOT, n. not. [L.nodus; probably connected with knit, but perhaps from swelling or gathering.]

1. The complication of threads made by knitting; a tie; union of cords by interweaving; as, a knot difficult to be untied.
2. Any figure, the lines of which frequently intersect each other; as, a knot in gardening. In beds and curious knots. – Milton.
3. A bond of association or union; as, the nuptial knot.
4. The part of a tree where a branch shoots.
5. The protuberant joint of a plant. – Martyn.
6. A cluster; a collection; a group; as, a knot of ladies; a knot of figures in painting.
7. Difficulty; intricacy; something not easily solved. – South.
8. Any intrigue or difficult perplexity of affairs. – Dryden.
9. A bird of the genus Tringa.
10. An epaulet.
11. In seamen's language, a division of the logline, which answers to half a minute, as a mile does to an hour, or it is hundred-and-twentieth part of a mile. Hence, when a ship goes eight miles an hour, she is said to go eight knots. – Mar. Dict.

1. To form knots or joints, as in plants.
2. To knit knots for fringe.

1. To complicate or tie in a knot or knots; to form a knot.
2. To entangle; to perplex.
3. To unite closely. – Bacon.

1. A fastening together of the pars or ends of one or more threads, cords, ropes, etc., by any one of various ways of tying or entangling.
   
   
   (b)
2. To tie in or with, or form into, a knot or knots] to form a knot on, as a rope; to entangle.
   
   
   "Knotted curls." Drayton.

   As tight as I could knot the noose. Tennyson.

3. To form knots or joints, as in a cord, a plant, etc.; to become entangled.
   
   

   Cut hay when it begins to knot. Mortimer.

4. A bond of union; a connection; a tie.
   
   
   "With nuptial knot." Shak.

   Ere we knit the knot that can never be loosed. Bp. Hall.

5. To unite closely; to knit together.
   
   
   Bacon.
6. To knit knots for fringe or trimming.
7. Something not easily solved; an intricacy; a difficulty; a perplexity; a problem.
   
   

   Knots worthy of solution. Cowper.

   A man shall be perplexed with knots, and problems of business, and contrary affairs. South.

8. To entangle or perplex; to puzzle.
   
   
   [Obs. or R.]
9. To copulate; -- said of toads.
   
   
   [R.] Shak.
10. A figure the lines of which are interlaced or intricately interwoven, as in embroidery, gardening, etc.
    
    
    "Garden knots." Bacon.

    Flowers worthy of paradise, which, not nice art
    In beds and curious knots, but nature boon
    Poured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain. Milton.

11. A cluster of persons or things; a collection; a group; a hand; a clique; as, a knot of politicians.
    
    
    "Knots of talk." Tennyson.

    His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries. Shak.

    Palms in cluster, knots of Paradise. Tennyson.

    As they sat together in small, separate knots, they discussed doctrinal and metaphysical points of belief. Sir W. Scott.

12. A portion of a branch of a tree that forms a mass of woody fiber running at an angle with the grain of the main stock and making a hard place in the timber. A loose knot is generally the remains of a dead branch of a tree covered by later woody growth.
13. A knob, lump, swelling, or protuberance.
    
    

    With lips serenely placid, felt the knot
    Climb in her throat. Tennyson.

14. A protuberant joint in a plant.
15. The point on which the action of a story depends; the gist of a matter.
    
    
    [Obs.]

    I shoulde to the knotte condescend,
    And maken of her walking soon an end. Chaucer.

16. See Node.
17. A division of the log line, serving to measure the rate of the vessel's motion. Each knot on the line bears the same proportion to a mile that thirty seconds do to an hour. The number of knots which run off from the reel in half a minute, therefore, shows the number of miles the vessel sails in an hour.
    
    
    Hence: (b)
18. A kind of epaulet. See Shoulder knot.
19. A sandpiper (Tringa canutus), found in the northern parts of all the continents, in summer. It is grayish or ashy above, with the rump and upper tail coverts white, barred with dusky. The lower parts are pale brown, with the flanks and under tail coverts white. When fat it is prized by epicures. Called also dunne.
    
    

    * The name is said to be derived from King Canute, this bird being a favorite article of food with him.

    The knot that called was Canutus' bird of old,
    Of that great king of Danes his name that still doth hold,
    His appetite to please that far and near was sought. Drayton.