know-it-all

noun

someone who thinks he knows everything and refuses to accept advice or information from others

• Syn: ↑know-all

• Usage Domain: ↑colloquialism

• Hypernyms: ↑egotist, ↑egoist, ↑swellhead

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I. \\ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷\ noun also know-all \\ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷\ (plural know-it-alls also know-alls)

: one that rashly and annoyingly claims to know or acts as if knowing all about everything or nearly everything : one to whom nothing new can apparently be told or who views any advice or suggestion from others as of little or no value or as something that had already been considered and acted on or rejected

loud cocky know-it-alls

a humbling enigma for the know-alls — D.B.W.Lewis

II. adjective also know-all \\“\

Etymology: know-it-all (I), know-all

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a know-it-all

a know-it-all attitude

a know-all manner

should not be so know-it-all about what the Almighty was up to — Gretchen Finletter

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/noh"it awl'/, n.

1. a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.

adj.

2. of or characteristic of a know-it-all.

[1930-35]

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know-it-all UK US noun [countable] [singular know-it-all plural know-it-alls] informal

a know-all

Thesaurus: people who are confident, boastful or arrogant_synonym people who are annoying or unpleasant_synonym

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know-it-all «NOH iht _L», noun, adjective. U.S. Slang.

–n.

a person with pretensions to complete or infallible knowledge: »The blasé know-it-all from the large prep school is cynically scornful (New York Times).

–adj.

conceited; pretentious: »a know-it-all attitude.

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n. informal a person who behaves as if they know everything

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/ˈnowətˌɑːl/ noun, pl -alls [count]

informal + disapproving : a person who talks and behaves like someone who knows everything

My neighbor is a real know-it-all, always telling me what to do.

— often used before another noun

my know-it-all neighbor

; called also (Brit) know-all

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ˈknow-it-all [know-it-all know-it-alls] (especially NAmE) (BrE also ˈknow-all) noun (informal, disapproving)

a person who behaves as if they know everything

Look at other dictionaries:

know-it-all — know it alls N COUNT (disapproval) If you say that someone is a know it all, you are critical of them because they think that they know a lot more than other people. [AM, INFORMAL] (in BRIT, use know all) … English dictionary
Know-it-all — n. One who knows everything; hence, a person who makes pretension to great knowledge, especially one whose didactic conversational habit conspicuously reveals his belief that he has superior knowledge on many subjects; a wiseacre; a know all; us … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Know-it-all — or know all is an epithet applied to any person who exhibits the belief that he or she possesses a superior intellect and wealth of knowledge, and shows a determination to demonstrate his perceived superiority at every opportunity. ee also* Whiz… … Wikipedia
know-it-all — n informal especially AmE someone who behaves as if they know everything used to show disapproval British Equivalent: know all … Dictionary of contemporary English
know-it-all — [nō′it ôl΄] adj. Informal pretending or claiming to know much about almost everything n. Informal a know it all person … English World dictionary
know-it-all — know it ,all noun count INFORMAL someone who is annoying because they think they know everything … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
know-it-all — index bigot Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
know-it-all — know′ it all n. a person who acts as though he or she had better knowledge or understanding than anyone else • Etymology: 1930–35 … From formal English to slang
know-it-all — [n] intellectual, smart aleck braggart, brain*, smarty pants*, walking encyclopedia, windbag, wiseacre, wise guy*; concepts 412,423 … New thesaurus
know-it-all — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms know it all : singular know it all plural know it alls informal a know all … English dictionary

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know-it-all

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