Meaning of “you know” in the English Dictionary

English

"you know" in English

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you know

informal

B1 a phrase with little meaning, used while you are trying to think of what to say next:

Well I just thought, you know, I'd better agree to it.
I'm not happy with the situation but, you know, there isn't much I can do about it.

B1 used when trying to help someone remember something or when trying to explain something:

What's the name of that guy on TV - you know, the one with the silly voice?

(Definition of “you know” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"you know" in American English

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you know

also y'know

› infml used as a pause while speaking or while thinking of what to say next or how to say it:

She was cleaning the house, you know, when the phone rang.
you know infml

› Some people say you know or also y'know at the end of a statement to make sure the person they are talking to understands:

It didn’t have to happen that way, you know?

(Definition of “you know” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of “you know”
 
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