unknown
♦ un|known /'ʌnn'oʊn/ (unknowns)
1 [ADJ]
If something is unknown to you, you have no knowledge of it.
An unknown number of demonstrators were arrested...
How did you expect us to proceed on such a perilous expedition, through unknown terrain...
The motive for the killing is unknown.
[N-COUNT]
An unknown is something that is unknown.
The length of the war is one of the biggest unknowns.
2 [ADJ]
An unknown person is someone whose name you do not know or whose character you do not know anything about.
Unknown thieves had forced their way into the apartment...
I could not understand how someone with so many awards could be unknown to me.
3 [ADJ]
An unknown person is not famous or publicly recognized.
He was an unknown writer.
...a popular environment where both established and unknown artists can meet, talk and drink.
[N-COUNT]
An unknown is a person who is unknown.
Within a short space of time a group of complete unknowns had established a wholly original form of humour.
4 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If you say that a particular problem or situation is unknown, you mean that it never occurs.
A hundred years ago coronary heart disease was virtually unknown in Europe and America.
= unheard of
5 [N-SING] the N
The unknown refers generally to things or places that people do not know about or understand.
Ignorance of people brings fear, fear of the unknown.
1 [ADJ]
If something is unknown to you, you have no knowledge of it.
An unknown number of demonstrators were arrested...
How did you expect us to proceed on such a perilous expedition, through unknown terrain...
The motive for the killing is unknown.
[N-COUNT]
An unknown is something that is unknown.
The length of the war is one of the biggest unknowns.
2 [ADJ]
An unknown person is someone whose name you do not know or whose character you do not know anything about.
Unknown thieves had forced their way into the apartment...
I could not understand how someone with so many awards could be unknown to me.
3 [ADJ]
An unknown person is not famous or publicly recognized.
He was an unknown writer.
...a popular environment where both established and unknown artists can meet, talk and drink.
[N-COUNT]
An unknown is a person who is unknown.
Within a short space of time a group of complete unknowns had established a wholly original form of humour.
4 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If you say that a particular problem or situation is unknown, you mean that it never occurs.
A hundred years ago coronary heart disease was virtually unknown in Europe and America.
= unheard of
5 [N-SING] the N
The unknown refers generally to things or places that people do not know about or understand.
Ignorance of people brings fear, fear of the unknown.