unknown

Pluralunknowns

1. 1
   adjective

   Not known about, or not familiar to most people.

   Like a face in a crowd that nobody can name.

   The cause of the fire is still unknown.

   They moved to a small, unknown town far from the city.

   Similarunfamiliar, unidentified, obscure, anonymous, unnamed

   Oppositeknown, famous

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   Something, somewhere, or a fact that nobody knows anything about.

   Like a closed box when you have no idea what is inside.

   Fear of the unknown kept her from traveling alone.

   Space is full of unknowns we have not yet explored.

   Similarmystery, uncertainty

   Oppositeknown

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   A number you do not know yet and have to find, often shown as x.

   Like a missing puzzle piece you work out from the pieces around it.

   Solve the equation to find the unknown.

   In this problem, the unknown is the speed of the train.

   Similarvariable

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   A person whom nobody knows or thinks is important.

   Like a new student that nobody at school has met yet.

   He was a complete unknown before winning the contest.

   The committee picked an unknown to fill the position.

   Similarnobody, nonentity, newcomer, outsider

   Oppositecelebrity, somebody, star

   Note
5. 5
   verb

   Past participle of unknow. Use this form after have, has, had, or be to talk about making something no longer known.

   Once you learn to ride a bike, that skill can never be unknown.

   What she had seen could not be unknown, however hard she tried.

   Note

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