In the 1950s many power companies varied the frequency of the ac power based on usage. When the load was high the normal 60 cycle rate would go up to 65 cycles per second and the voltage would go down from 120 volts to perhaps 100 volts. Lights would dim a bit and motors would run hot. Complaints to the government brought legislation to force compliance in the utility. But this method allowed utilities to profit more during peek hours of consumer use but also adversely affected electrically driven clocks so the utilities regulated the frequency being delivered to 58-54 cycles per second to average out a 24 hour day more accurately so as not to fowl the clocks. With regulation however, it became necessary to find other ways for electrical producers to profit more during peek power usage and to this day, with many home systems feeding power into the system, regulating this vast entanglement has become a daunting challenge for everyone involved. But surprisingly, it is all up and running rather well.
robertgrist
know |nō|
verb ( past knew |n(y)o͞o|; past participle known |nōn| )
1 [ with clause ] be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information: most people know that CFCs can damage the ozone layer | I know what I'm doing.
• [ with obj. ] have knowledge or information concerning: I would write to him if I knew his address | [ no obj. ] : I know of one local who shot himself.
• be absolutely certain or sure about something: I just knew it was something I wanted to do | [ with obj. ] : I knew it!
2 [ with obj. ] have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with: he knew and respected Laura.
• have a good command of (a subject or language).
• recognize (someone or something): Isabel couldn't hear the words clearly, but she knew the voice.
• be familiar or acquainted with (something): a little restaurant she knew near Times Square.
• have personal experience of (an emotion or situation): a man who had known better times.
• (usu. be known as) regard or perceive as having a specified characteristic: he is also known as an amateur painter.
• (usu. be known as) give (someone or something) a particular name or title: the doctor was universally known as “Hubert.”
• (know someone/something from) be able to distinguish one person or thing from (another): you are convinced you know your own baby from any other in the world.
3 [ with obj. ] archaic have sexual intercourse with (someone).
[a Hebraism that has passed into modern languages; compare with German erkennen,French connaître .]
PHRASES
all one knows used to emphasize the limited nature of one's knowledge concerning something: all I knew was that she was a schoolteacher. • used to emphasize the importance or significance of the following fact or facts: all she knew was that she was cold and hungry and thirsty.
and one knows it said to emphasize that someone is well aware of a fact although they might pretend otherwise: the senator's priorities do not add up and he knows it.
—— as we know it as is familiar or customary in the present: by the year 2000 management as we know it will not exist.
before one knows where one is (or before one knows it ) informal with baffling speed.
be in the know be aware of something known only to a few people: he had a tip from a friend in the know: the horse was a sure bet.
be not to know have no way of being aware of: you weren't to know he was about to die.
don't I know it! informal used as an expression of rueful assent or agreement.
don't you know informal used to emphasize what one has just said or is about to say: I was, don't you know, a great automobile enthusiast in those days.
for all someone knows used to express the limited scope or extent of one's information: she could be dead for all I know.
God (or goodness or heaven ) knows 1 used to emphasize that one does not know something: God knows what else they might find. 2 used to emphasize the truth of a statement: God knows, we deserve a glass of bubbly after all these years.
I know 1 I agree: “It's not the same without Rosie.” “I know.” 2 (also I know what )I have a new idea or suggestion: I know what, let's do it now.
know best have better knowledge or more appropriate skills.
know better than be wise or polite enough to avoid doing a particular thing: you ought to know better than to ask that.
know someone by sight recognize someone by their appearance without knowing their name or being so well acquainted as to talk to them.
know different (or otherwise )be aware of information or evidence to the contrary.
know something for a fact be aware of something that is irrefutable or beyond doubt: I know for a fact that he can't speak a word of Japanese.
know someone in the biblical sense informal, humorous have sexual intercourse with someone.
know no bounds have no limits: their courage knows no bounds.
know one's own mind be decisive and certain.
know one's way around be familiar with (an area, procedure, or subject).
know the ropes have experience of the appropriate procedures.
[with reference to ropes used in sailing.]
know what's what informal be experienced and competent in a particular area.
know who's who be aware of the identity and status of each person.
let it be (or make something ) known ensure that people are informed about something, esp. via a third party: [ with clause ] : the commissioner let it be known that he was not seeking reappointment.
not know from nothing informal be totally ignorant, either generally or concerning something in particular: she shakes her head while you talk, as if to say you don't know from nothing.
not know the first thing about have not the slightest idea about (something).
not know that informal used to express one's doubts about one's ability to do something: I don't know that I can sum up my meaning on paper.
not know what to do with oneself be at a loss as to know what to do, typically through boredom, embarrassment, or anxiety.
not know where (or which way ) to look feel great embarrassment and not know how to react.
not want to know informal refuse to react or take notice: they just didn't want to know when I gave my side of the story.
what does —— know? informal used to indicate that someone knows nothing about the subject in question: what does he know about football, anyway?
what do you know ( about that )? informal used as an expression of surprise.
wouldn't you like to know? informal used to express the speaker's firm intention not to reveal something in spite of a questioner's curiosity: “You're dating him, aren't you?” “Wouldn't you like to know?”
you know informal used to imply that what is being referred to is known to or understood by the listener: when in Rome, you know. • used as a gap-filler in conversation: well, you know, I was wondering if you had any jobs for me.
you know something (or what )? informal used to indicate that one is going to say something interesting or surprising: you know what? I believed her.
you never know informal you can never be certain; it's impossible to predict.
DERIVATIVES
knowable adjective,
knower noun
ORIGIN Old English cnāwan (earlier gecnāwan)‘recognize, identify,’ of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin (g)noscere,Greek gignōskein, also by can1 and ken.
"electric meters know”…..nothing.
Lupe
robertgrist
verb ( past knew |n(y)o͞o|; past participle known |nōn| )
1 [ with clause ] be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information: most people know that CFCs can damage the ozone layer | I know what I'm doing.
• [ with obj. ] have knowledge or information concerning: I would write to him if I knew his address | [ no obj. ] : I know of one local who shot himself.
• be absolutely certain or sure about something: I just knew it was something I wanted to do | [ with obj. ] : I knew it!
2 [ with obj. ] have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with: he knew and respected Laura.
• have a good command of (a subject or language).
• recognize (someone or something): Isabel couldn't hear the words clearly, but she knew the voice.
• be familiar or acquainted with (something): a little restaurant she knew near Times Square.
• have personal experience of (an emotion or situation): a man who had known better times.
• (usu. be known as) regard or perceive as having a specified characteristic: he is also known as an amateur painter.
• (usu. be known as) give (someone or something) a particular name or title: the doctor was universally known as “Hubert.”
• (know someone/something from) be able to distinguish one person or thing from (another): you are convinced you know your own baby from any other in the world.
3 [ with obj. ] archaic have sexual intercourse with (someone).
[a Hebraism that has passed into modern languages; compare with German erkennen,French connaître .]
PHRASES
all one knows used to emphasize the limited nature of one's knowledge concerning something: all I knew was that she was a schoolteacher. • used to emphasize the importance or significance of the following fact or facts: all she knew was that she was cold and hungry and thirsty.
and one knows it said to emphasize that someone is well aware of a fact although they might pretend otherwise: the senator's priorities do not add up and he knows it.
—— as we know it as is familiar or customary in the present: by the year 2000 management as we know it will not exist.
before one knows where one is (or before one knows it ) informal with baffling speed.
be in the know be aware of something known only to a few people: he had a tip from a friend in the know: the horse was a sure bet.
be not to know have no way of being aware of: you weren't to know he was about to die.
don't I know it! informal used as an expression of rueful assent or agreement.
don't you know informal used to emphasize what one has just said or is about to say: I was, don't you know, a great automobile enthusiast in those days.
for all someone knows used to express the limited scope or extent of one's information: she could be dead for all I know.
God (or goodness or heaven ) knows 1 used to emphasize that one does not know something: God knows what else they might find. 2 used to emphasize the truth of a statement: God knows, we deserve a glass of bubbly after all these years.
I know 1 I agree: “It's not the same without Rosie.” “I know.” 2 (also I know what )I have a new idea or suggestion: I know what, let's do it now.
know best have better knowledge or more appropriate skills.
know better than be wise or polite enough to avoid doing a particular thing: you ought to know better than to ask that.
know someone by sight recognize someone by their appearance without knowing their name or being so well acquainted as to talk to them.
know different (or otherwise )be aware of information or evidence to the contrary.
know something for a fact be aware of something that is irrefutable or beyond doubt: I know for a fact that he can't speak a word of Japanese.
know someone in the biblical sense informal, humorous have sexual intercourse with someone.
know no bounds have no limits: their courage knows no bounds.
know one's own mind be decisive and certain.
know one's way around be familiar with (an area, procedure, or subject).
know the ropes have experience of the appropriate procedures.
[with reference to ropes used in sailing.]
know what's what informal be experienced and competent in a particular area.
know who's who be aware of the identity and status of each person.
let it be (or make something ) known ensure that people are informed about something, esp. via a third party: [ with clause ] : the commissioner let it be known that he was not seeking reappointment.
not know from nothing informal be totally ignorant, either generally or concerning something in particular: she shakes her head while you talk, as if to say you don't know from nothing.
not know the first thing about have not the slightest idea about (something).
not know that informal used to express one's doubts about one's ability to do something: I don't know that I can sum up my meaning on paper.
not know what to do with oneself be at a loss as to know what to do, typically through boredom, embarrassment, or anxiety.
not know where (or which way ) to look feel great embarrassment and not know how to react.
not want to know informal refuse to react or take notice: they just didn't want to know when I gave my side of the story.
what does —— know? informal used to indicate that someone knows nothing about the subject in question: what does he know about football, anyway?
what do you know ( about that )? informal used as an expression of surprise.
wouldn't you like to know? informal used to express the speaker's firm intention not to reveal something in spite of a questioner's curiosity: “You're dating him, aren't you?” “Wouldn't you like to know?”
you know informal used to imply that what is being referred to is known to or understood by the listener: when in Rome, you know. • used as a gap-filler in conversation: well, you know, I was wondering if you had any jobs for me.
you know something (or what )? informal used to indicate that one is going to say something interesting or surprising: you know what? I believed her.
you never know informal you can never be certain; it's impossible to predict.
DERIVATIVES
knowable adjective,
knower noun
ORIGIN Old English cnāwan (earlier gecnāwan)‘recognize, identify,’ of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin (g)noscere,Greek gignōskein, also by can1 and ken.
"electric meters know”…..nothing.