knits
knits — verb
1. shapes yarn into a piece of fabric or clothing by pulling each loop through the
shapes yarn into a piece of fabric or clothing by pulling each loop through the one before it, either by hand with a pair of needles or by a machine.
Every winter, Nora knits a thick scarf for her younger brother.
knit + direct object (item of clothing)
The retired carpenter knits quietly by the window each Sunday afternoon.
intransitive use describing the activity
A small workshop in Taipei knits woollen socks that are sold across Europe.
Henrik knits Élise a pair of mittens whenever the first snow falls.
Amelia knits while listening to the radio in her kitchen.
- unravel
to pull apart what has been knitted
文法句型
knit + object
knit + indirect object + direct object
用法筆記
Common in both senses below: the same verb covers hand-knitting with needles and factory machine production. Subject is usually a person, but can be a company or machine.
常見錯誤
2. uses the simplest stitch in knitting, where the needle goes through the front of
uses the simplest stitch in knitting, where the needle goes through the front of the loop to form a smooth V-shape on the front side.
The pattern says you knit two rows, then purl two rows for the cuff.
contrast with 'purl'; pattern-instruction register
Anna always knits the first row tightly to keep the edge from curling.
knit + row count
Saira knits ten stitches in plain yarn before switching to a coloured strand.
When the instructor demonstrates, she knits one and purls one to show the rib pattern.
- purls
the opposite basic stitch, producing a horizontal bump on the front
文法句型
knit + number/row count
用法筆記
Technical knitting vocabulary; appears mostly in patterns and craft tutorials, often paired with 'purl' (the opposite stitch). Distinguish from sense 1 by the presence of a number or stitch count.
3. joins separate things, people, or ideas into one tightly connected whole — for e
joins separate things, people, or ideas into one tightly connected whole — for example, broken bone ends growing back into one, or shared hardship binding a community.
Six months in the trenches knit the strangers into lifelong friends.
knit + people + into [unified group]
Shared grief over the flood knits the small village together.
abstract subject + together
The doctor said Dario's broken collarbone knits well in young patients.
A skilful editor knits the three storylines into a single film.
Years of weekly dinners have knit the neighbours into something close to family.
- divides
divides splits a group apart, opposite of knitting it together
文法句型
knit + noun + together
knit together
用法筆記
Often used with 'together' or 'into'. Subject is typically a shared experience or unifying force; object is the group, parts, or pieces being joined. Also used literally of broken bones healing — a frozen idiom from medical English.
常見錯誤
4. becomes or is closely linked to others through shared values, work, or history,
becomes or is closely linked to others through shared values, work, or history, so the group acts as one.
The five sisters were knit together by years of running the family bakery.
passive 'be knit together by [shared experience]'
Christopher's small choir knits closely whenever they prepare for a concert.
intransitive: subject acts as one
After the rebuild, the rescue volunteers were knit together more tightly than before.
Long working hours knit the night-shift nurses into a quiet support group.
- drifts apart
the gradual opposite of being knit closely together
文法句型
be knit together
knit + adverb
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 by focus: sense 3 describes the act of joining; sense 4 describes the resulting closely-bonded state, almost always passive ('are knit together') or with a manner adverb ('knits closely').
5. pulls the eyebrows down and inward to form small wrinkles, usually to show that
pulls the eyebrows down and inward to form small wrinkles, usually to show that someone is worried, concentrating, or annoyed.
Sivan knits her brow whenever the puzzle gets harder than expected.
knit + brow showing concentration
Paul knits his eyebrows in confusion when the waiter brings the wrong dish.
knit + eyebrows showing confusion
The judge knits her brow as she rereads the witness statement.
Ishaan knits his brow at the strange noise coming from the engine.
- smooths
smooths the brow — the opposite physical action
文法句型
knit + brow/eyebrows
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'brow' or 'eyebrows' — a fixed near-collocation. Use to describe an expression, not voluntary effort to look serious.
常見錯誤
knits — noun
1. items of clothing such as sweaters, cardigans, or hats made from looped yarn rat
items of clothing such as sweaters, cardigans, or hats made from looped yarn rather than woven cloth — usually used in the plural.
Élise bought two new knits at the autumn market in Lyon.
plural countable; shopping context
The shop sells handmade knits from small farms across Scotland.
knits + made by hand
Soft knits are the warmest thing to wear on a windy beach walk.
Andrés packs three warm knits before flying to Helsinki in December.
文法句型
a knit
knits + plural
用法筆記
Almost always plural in this sense; 'a knit' for a single sweater is informal and chiefly heard in fashion or retail talk.
2. cloth produced by interlocking loops of yarn rather than by weaving — it stretch
cloth produced by interlocking loops of yarn rather than by weaving — it stretches more than woven cloth and is used for things like T-shirts and underwear.
Lightweight cotton knits are perfect for summer T-shirts that need to stretch.
knits + adjective + clothing use
The designer prefers Italian knits because they hold their shape after washing.
fabric origin + property
Modern sportswear is mostly cut from technical knits that wick away sweat.
Shirin chose a heavy wool knit for the winter dress she was sewing.
- wovens
wovens are made by crossing threads on a loom; knits are made by looping yarn
文法句型
knit + as material noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 by what the noun refers to: sense 1 = finished garments; sense 2 = the cloth from which garments are made. Commonly contrasted with 'wovens' in fashion or textile contexts.
3. a single basic stitch in knitting that makes a small smooth V-shape on the front
a single basic stitch in knitting that makes a small smooth V-shape on the front of the work — the opposite type to a 'purl'.
The simple rib uses one knit and one purl across the whole row.
knit + paired with purl in stitch description
Beginners usually master the knit before trying any harder stitch.
knit as named beginner stitch
Two knits and two purls form the classic 2x2 rib on the cuff.
A row of straight knits gives the smooth side of stockinette fabric.
- knit stitch
knit stitch is the fuller term; 'a knit' is the shorthand inside patterns
- purl
purl is the opposite basic stitch in any knitting pattern
文法句型
knit (as named stitch)
用法筆記
Specialised craft term. Distinguish from sense 1 (garments) and sense 2 (fabric): here a 'knit' is the smallest unit of a knitting pattern. Almost always appears alongside 'purl'.
knits — adjective
1. made from wool or a wool-like yarn that has been looped together; softer and str
made from wool or a wool-like yarn that has been looped together; softer and stretchier than woven cloth.
Nadia packed her favourite knit cardigan for the cold mountain walk.
knit + clothing noun (attributive)
The hotel left a soft knit blanket on every bed.
knit + household item
Children love the warm knit caps that the local shop makes by hand.
Henrik wore a thick knit jumper under his rain jacket on the boat.
- woven
woven cloth is made by crossing threads; knit cloth is made by looping yarn
文法句型
knit + noun
用法筆記
Always used before a noun, never after 'be' (you cannot say 'the cardigan is knit' in this sense — use 'knitted' instead).
常見錯誤
2. produced by looping yarn together with long needles or a knitting machine, rathe
produced by looping yarn together with long needles or a knitting machine, rather than by weaving or sewing.
The shop has a wide range of knit fabrics in many colours.
knit + fabric; material context
Cotton knit shirts are popular for hot summers in southern Taiwan.
knit + cotton + shirts
Andrés bought a stretchy knit dress for his daughter's school play.
The factory ships knit garments to twelve countries every month.
- knitted
knitted is the safer choice when you need a participle that can sit after a verb
文法句型
knit + fabric/clothing noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 by emphasis: sense 1 is about the wool-like feel; sense 2 is about the method of making the cloth. Both are attributive only.