The words ‘no known’ used in the English language mean that something is not known, or unknown, to something or someone else. While the phrase does not get much modern use, there are still some agencies that use this phrase quite often, such as law enforcement.
Continue reading on to learn more about the phrase, when to use it, and other phrases that can be substituted for the words instead.
No Known Meaning
If you break down the two words of ‘no known’ the phrase is defined as ‘not any knowledge’. This is because the word no means ‘not any’ and the word ‘known’ is a past tense form of the word know. The two words put together are a more formal way to state that something is unknown.
Other than in specific instances, you will most likely see the phrase ‘no known’ written down rather than spoken. Because ‘no known’ is more formal, most English speakers choose to use the less formal version of the phrase. This includes other phrases such as ‘I do not know’ and ‘it is unknown’.
No Known in Law Enforcement
If you have spent any time around law enforcement, you will hear the phrase ‘no known’ spoken quite often. This is because law enforcement must use clear and concise speech when they are communicating over their radios. Law enforcement officials use the phrase ‘no known’ instead of ‘unknown’ because the two-word phrase faces less confusion and miscommunication than the single word.
Examples of No Known
The phrase ‘no known’ can be used in a few different types of sentence structures, including statements and questions. It can also be used as a standalone answer to questions that are posed to the speaker or writer. Here are some examples of sentences that use the phrase ‘no known.’
- There is no known address for the fugitive on file.
- The disease has been around for one hundred years but there is no known cure for it.
- Why was this patient’s medical history marked as ‘no known’?
- Currently, there is no known life to live outside of planet earth.
In each of these examples, the sentence structure can be reformatted to use the less formal ‘unknown’ instead of ‘no known’. Aside from law enforcement, those in the healthcare industry may find themselves using the phrase often as well. However, there are not too many other specific industries that continue to use this verbiage today.
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