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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Knob Meaning: Door Handle & Control Dial Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：door handle (knob)

knob 🔊

/nɒb/

A round handle on a door or drawer that you turn or pull to open or close it.

Hand turning a round brass door knob on wooden door

door handle 🔊

➕

/dɔːr ˈhændl/

A round, often metallic or wooden, protrusion attached to a door or drawer that is turned or pulled to open or close it.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Middle English knobbe, probably from Old English *cnobb or related to Low German knobbe, meaning a lump or rounded protuberance.

💡 Mnemonic

Picture a door knob shaped like a 'KNOB' of butter—round, turnable, and easy to grasp.

📖 Example

She turned the brass knob and pushed the heavy wooden door open. 🔊 She turned the brass door handle and pushed the heavy wooden door open.

🔗 Collocations

door knob – a round handle on a door

turn the knob – to rotate the handle to open or close

brass knob – a knob made of brass

🔄 Synonyms

handle (n.) – a part of a door or drawer used for gripping and opening

latch (n.) – a fastening device often used with a knob

drawer pull (n.) – a knob or handle specifically for drawers

🚫 Antonyms

keyhole (n.) – a hole for a key, often near a knob but not a handle itself

lock (n.) – a fastening mechanism that may be part of a knob but is distinct

🌱 Derivatives

knobbed (adj.) – having a knob or knobs

knobby (adj.) – covered with or having many knobs

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'knob' dates back to the 14th century, originally referring to a rounded lump or swelling. Its application to door handles and control dials reflects the physical shape—a protruding, rounded piece used for grip or turning.

Meaning 2：control dial (knob)

knob 🔊

/nɒb/

A round button or switch on a machine that you turn to control things like volume or power.

Hand adjusting a round volume knob on vintage radio

control dial 🔊

➕

/kənˈtroʊl daɪəl/

A round button or switch on a machine or device that is rotated to adjust settings such as volume, temperature, or power.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

To adjust the volume, simply turn the large black knob on the right side of the old radio. 🔊 To adjust the volume, simply turn the large black control dial on the right side of the old radio.

🔗 Collocations

volume knob – a knob that controls loudness

turn a knob – to rotate a knob to change a setting

control knob – a knob used to operate a machine's function

🔄 Synonyms

dial (n.) – a round control that is turned to select settings

switch (n.) – a device for turning something on/off, often a different shape

adjuster (n.) – a mechanism for making fine adjustments, can be a knob

🚫 Antonyms

button (n.) – a pushable control, often used instead of a knob for digital devices

lever (n.) – a handle that moves up/down or side-to-side rather than rotating

🌱 Derivatives

knob-operated (adj.) – controlled by turning a knob