ken Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun range of what one can know or understand
    cognizance.
    • beyond my ken
  2. noun the range of vision
    sight.
    • out of sight of land

WordNet

Ken noun
Etymology
Perh. from kennel.
Definitions
  1. A house; esp., one which is a resort for thieves. Slang, Eng.
Ken transitive verb
Etymology
OE.kennen to teach, make known, know, AS. cennan to make known, proclaim, or rather from the related Icel. kenna to know; akin to D. & G. kennen to know, Goth. kannjan to make known; orig., a causative corresponding to AS. cunnan to know, Goth. kunnan. See Can to be able, Know.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Kenned ; present participle & verbal noun Kenning
Definitions
  1. To know; to understand; to take cognizance of. Archaic or Scot.
  2. To recognize; to descry; to discern. Archaic or Scot. "We ken them from afar." Addison
    'T is he. I ken the manner of his gait. Shak.
Ken intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To look around. Obs. Burton.
Ken noun
Definitions
  1. Cognizance; view; especially, reach of sight or knowledge. "Beyond his ken." Longfellow.
    Above the reach and ken of a mortal apprehension. South.
    It was relief to quit the ken And the inquiring looks of men. Trench.

Webster 1913