know what is what

English

Alternative forms

• know what's what

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

know what is what (third-person singular simple present knows what is what, present participle knowing what is what, simple past knew what was what, past participle known what was what)

1. (idiomatic) To understand the current situation; to know what is going on.

   Synonym: know what's o'clock

   He seems to have no trouble understanding stuff that, to me, sounds like hot garbage. He really does know what's what.

   She said she was going to house to study French, but I wasn't born yesterday. I know what's what.

   Everything is changing so fast... I just don't know what's what anymore!

Translations

Translations

• Dutch: weten hoe laat het is
• Finnish: tietää mikä on mitäkin
• Italian: sapere il fatto proprio

See also

• know what one is about

References

• “know what is what”, in Collins English Dictionary.