A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

know a thing or two • know all the answers
know a thing or two —be quite competent about how to deal
with a particular problem: Hopefully he’s the type of rancher
who knows a thing or two about how to keep the soil rich and
the cows fat.
know all the answers —(also: have all the answers) 
1
. be
extremely knowledgeable; be fully informed: In serials the
detective always wins, usually escapes danger, and knows all
the answers. 2. is often used with the implication of over-
confidence: Johnson’s critics saw him as an extremely arrogant
man who thought he knew all the answers and was unwilling
to make any accommodation.
know a trick or two • know all the tricks of the
trade
know a trick or two —be quite shrewd about how to deal
kiss it off
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with a particular problem: I know a trick or two about how
to handle a customer who is angry or upset.
know all the tricks of the trade —know every smart way in
an activity related to one’s occupation: I could tell by the way
he directed his helper, that he knew all the tricks of the trade.
know about someone • know of someone
know about someone —
1
. have knowledge or information
about smb.: Knowing what I know about her husband … she
is just as delusional as her husband. 2. (negat.) be not sure
about a person: I don’t know about John, but I was about
ready to fall through the floor with shame.
know of someone — = know about someone 
1
: I know of one
eminent man of science, who was a burning and shining light
in his day.
know best • know better
know best—know smth. better than anybody else: On the
premise that the workers often know best, the firms are form-
ing “quality circles.” These are groups of employees who focus
on what can be done to improve output.
know better —
1
. = know best: Community members often
know better how to reach their neighbors with key messages
on reducing exposure to environmental health hazards. 2.
understand the real reason for smth.: After getting his own
food, he was jostled roughly so that everything cascaded to
the floor … apparently an accident, too, though Rollie knew
better. 3. be wise or sensible enough not to behave in a certain
way: Even though he knew better, Vinnie lent Tom his license
so he would have identification to cross the border.