knowed
Knew; the regularized past tense of know in mountain talk.
Also called knew, known.
Updated September 24, 2026
knowed pronunciation
/NOHD/
Meaning
Same meaning as knew or known, depending on the sentence. Speakers treat know like a regular verb and slap -ed on it. Common with done for punch: I done knowed better. Schoolbooks mark it wrong. Porch talk marks it normal.
How folks use it
- “I knowed that old dog since I was a kid.”
- “She never knowed what hit her when the storm took the barn.”
Origin and etymology
Weak past forms like knowed, growed, and throwed go back centuries in English and British dialect. Dictionary of American Regional English labels knowed chiefly South and South Midland. Horace Kephart listed it among Smoky Mountain verb habits. Surveys found older rural speakers in Virginia and North Carolina using it heavily.
Frequently asked questions
Is knowed only past tense?
It covers past tense and past participle in dialect ("I've knowed him for years"). Standard English splits those as knew and known.