knob

Everyday

1. A knob is a round handle you turn or pull to open a door or drawer. tree →
2. A knob is a round button you turn to control a machine, like the volume on a radio or the heat on a cooker. tree →
3. A knob is a small round lump on something, like a knob on a tree trunk. tree →
4. A knob of butter is a small lump of it. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday and safety: door knobs and cupboard knobs; cooker knobs control gas and heat, so never play with them; some homes have knob covers to stop toddlers. In science, microscopes have focus knobs. In cooking, «a knob of butter» is a small piece. Phrases: «turn the knob», «door knob», «a knob of butter», «volume knob».

Examples

• Turn the knob to open the door. tree →
• Don't touch the cooker knobs. tree →
• Turn the knob on the radio to make it louder. tree →
• Add a knob of butter to the hot pasta. tree →
• The drawer knob came off in my hand. tree →
• Use the focus knob to make the picture clear. tree →
• The old tree had a big knob on its trunk. tree →
• The baby gate has a knob that's hard for toddlers to turn. tree →
• The iron railing looks like the gate of a cemetery, and there are brass knobs upon it. tree →

Note

The k is silent: said like «nob». Countable: «a knob, knobs». «Doorknob» is often written as one word. In British slang «knob» is a rude word for a person, so use it carefully.