Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - knot

~1 n 1 »TIED STRING« a join made by tying together two ends of rope, cloth, string etc  (Here, let me fix the knot in your tie. | Can you help me undo this knot?) 2 »HAIR« a) a mass of hairs, threads etc accidentally twisted together  (I can't get the knots out of my hair.) b) a way of arranging your hair into a tight round shape at the back of your head 3 »SHIP'S SPEED« written abbreviation kt a measure of speed used for ships and aircraft that is about 1853 metres per hour 4 »PEOPLE« a small group of people standing close together 5 »HARD MASS« a hard mass that is formed by a lot of things that are close together  (a knot of muscles) 6 »WOOD« a hard round place in a piece of wood where a branch once joined the tree. 7 a knot in your stomach/throat etc a hard uncomfortable feeling in your stomach etc caused by a strong emotion such as fear or anger  (- see also Gordian knot, at a rate of knots rate1 (7), tie the knot tie2 (4), tie yourself (up) in knots tie2 (5)) ~2 v knotted, knotting 1 to tie together two ends of rope, cloth, string etc 2 a) if hair or threads knot they become twisted together b) knot your hair c) to arrange and fasten your hair into a tight round shape at the back of your head 3 if a muscle or other part of your body knots, or is knotted it feels hard and uncomfortable  (Fear and anxiety knotted her stomach.)