noun

1. a lump or knob in a thread, cord, etc., formed by passing one free end through a loop and drawing it tight, or by a tangle drawn tight
2. a fastening made by intertwining or tying together pieces of string, cord, rope, etc.
3. an ornamental bow of ribbon or twist of braid; cockade; epaulet
4. a small group or cluster
5. something that ties or fastens closely or intricately; bond of union; esp., the bond of marriage
6. a problem; difficulty; entanglement
7. a knotlike part; node or lump [a knot in a tense muscle]; specif.,
   1. a hard lump on a tree where a branch grows out
   2. a cross section of such a lump, appearing as cross-grained in a board or log
   3. a joint on a plant stem where two leaves grow out
   4. any of several fungal diseases of trees, in which abnormal protuberances appear
8. Naut.
   1. Historical any of the knots tied at regular intervals in a line used in measuring a ship's speed
   2. a unit of speed of one nautical mile (6,076.12 feet or 1,852 meters) an hour: abbrev. kn or kt to average a speed of 10 knots
   3. loosely nautical mile

Etymology: ME knotte < OE cnotta, akin to Du knot, Swed knut, Ger knoten < IE *gn-eu-t < base *gen-, to press together > knob, knead

transitive verb knotted knot′·ted, knotting knot′·ting

1. to tie, fasten, or intertwine in or with a knot or knots; make a knot or knots in
2. to tie or unite closely or intricately; entangle
3. to make (fringe) by tying knots

intransitive verb

1. to form a knot or knots; become entangled
2. to make knots for fringe

noun

Etymology: rare ME knotte < ?