Ken appeared on the English horizon in the 16th century referring to the distance bounding the range of ordinary vision at sea (about 20 miles), and would thus have been familiar to skippers in particular. …

KEN definition: knowledge, understanding, or cognizance; mental perception. See examples of ken used in a sentence.

In this context, the phrase is infelicitous : ' beyond one's ken ', in its ordinary usage, means beyond one's powers of comprehension.

1. knowledge or understanding: an idea beyond one's ken. 2. range of sight or vision.

7 meanings: 1. range of knowledge or perception (esp in the phrases beyond or in one's ken) 2. Scottish and Northern England.... Click for more definitions.

Feb 1, 2026 · In common usage a fossil word, found only in phrases such as beyond one’s ken and swim into one’s ken.

Apr 21, 2025 · Explore the slang meaning of 'ken', its historical roots, and how it's used in contemporary communication. Understand its impact, statistics, and cultural significance in today's linguistic …

Definition of ken noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun ken, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

ken (n.2) "house used as a meeting place by thieves or other disreputable characters," 1560s, vagabonds' slang, probably a shortening of kennel (n.).