A knob is a round handle one pulls or twists:

• A doorknob is a round handle one turns to open a door and a "cabinet knob" is a small handle (usually round, but sometimes in other geometric or whimsical shapes) one pulls to open a cabinet door or drawer.
• A control knob controls a device and may turn a lamp on and off or make the volume on a radio go up or down.

By analogy, a knob can also be any small, round thing that sticks out, such as the protrusions on "knobby" tires or on the red-knobbed starfish.

Characteristics

The primary trait of a knob is that it is the right size to be grasped by the hand or fingers. It differs from a handle primarily in that it does not allow the whole hand to wrap around it, whereas a handle usually does; this provides a very firm grip, making a handle much more suited to lifting and carrying. Being round, knobs are best suited for twisting.

See also

• Brodie knob
• Potentiometer - commonly used with knobs.

Knob

ToolsDoor furniture