a body knows
What anyone can tell; common sense, or a gut feeling.
Updated September 21, 2026
a body knows pronunciation
/uh BOD-ee nohz/
Meaning
Built on "a body," meaning a person or "one." You say it when something is obvious without a speech about it. "A body knows better than that" is common-sense talk. "Somehow a body knows" leans more toward instinct than a whole town agreeing.
How folks use it
- “A body knows better than to leave the gate open.”
- “Somehow a body knows when weather is about to turn.”
Origin and etymology
Same Scots and Appalachian use of "a body" for a person, plus ordinary "knows." The indefinite sense stuck: what a person knows, or what any person would know.
Frequently asked questions
Is "a body knows" the same as "everybody knows"?
Close. It often means what any sensible person would know. It can also mean what you feel without needing a crowd to say it.