knot

1 a number of things considered as a unit from the summit we could see knots of houses up and down the river valley Synonyms array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, grouping, huddle, group, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suiteRelated Words accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration; agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety; cycle, run, series, suitNear Antonyms entity, item, single, unit

2 a small rounded mass of swollen tissue felt a small knot on the back of his head Synonyms bump, lump, node, nodule, swellingRelated Words growth, tumor, wart; hump, hunch; bruise, contusion, welt; blister, boil; blob, chunk, clod, clump, gob, gobbet, hunk, knob, nub, nubble, nugget, wad

3 a uniting or binding force or influence their business partnership is strengthened by the knot of personal friendship Synonyms cement, cord, bond, ligature, link, tieRelated Words attachment, connection, fastening, hookup, joint, linkage, linkup, nexus, tie-up, union, yoke; affection, fondness, sympathy; fetter, handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel; constraint, curb, hampering, limit, limitation, restraint, restrictionNear Antonyms detaching, disengaging, parting, separation; unbinding, unfastening, unfettering, untying (or untieing); emancipation, freedom, liberation, release

4 a usually small number of persons considered as a unit knots of people were quietly chatting around the meeting hall Synonyms array, band, batch, battery, body, boodle, bunch, cluster, clutch, consort, constellation, crop, grouping, huddle, group, lot, parcel, party, passelRelated Words assembly, collective, congregation, gathering, muster, organization; circle, clan, clique, coterie, fellowship, gang, ring, round, set; faction, guild (also gild), order, school, sect; brigade, crew, outfit, phalanx, platoon, posse, task force, team; alliance, bloc, coalition, confederacy, confederation, federation, league, union; battalion, squadron; bevy, brood, coveyNear Antonyms individual, single

5 something that requires thought and skill for resolution mercy killing is generally seen as a matter fraught with legal and medical knots Synonyms case, challenge, problem, matter, nut, troubleRelated Words issue, question; corner, fix, hole, hot water, jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, spot; crux, Gordian knot, sticky wicket, toughie (also toughy); catch-22, dilemma, quandary; catch, glitch, hitch, pitfall, snag; conundrum, enigma, mystery, puzzle, puzzlement, riddle; brainteaser, perplexer, poser, stumperNear Antonyms magic bullet, silver bullet; cure-all, panaceaAntonyms answer, solution