Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON, v.t. [Sax. cennan, connan, cunnan, to know, to be able, to be skillful or wise; and cennan, to bear or bring forth, Gr. γενναω; and cunnian, to try, to attempt, to prove, L. conor; whence cunning, skillful, experienced, or skill, experience; the latter word, cunnian, coincides in sense with Sax. anginnan, onginnan, to begin, to try, to attempt, L. conor. D. kennen, to know, understand, or be acquainted; kunnen, to be able, can, to know or understand, to hold or contain; the last signification coinciding with the W. ganu, to contain. G. kennen, to know; and können, to be able. Dan. kan, to be able, pret. kunde, whence kundskab, knowledge, skill, experience. Sw. känna, to know; kuna, to be able, to be skilled, to know. The primary sense is, to strain or stretch, which gives the sense of strength, power, as in can, and of holding, containing, comprehending, as contain, from contineo, teneo, Gr. τεινω, L. tendo. And this signification connects these words with gin, in its compounds, begin, Sax. beginnan, anginnan, &c., to strain, to try, to stretch forward and make an effort; also with the Gr. γενναω, L. gignor, to beget, or to bring forth. See Class Gn, No. 29, 36, 40, 42, 45, 58. In the sense of know, con signifies to hold or to reach.]

1. To know. [Obs.] “I conne no skill.” – Spenser. “I shall not conne answer.” I shall not know or be able to answer. – Chaucer.
2. To make one's self master of; to fix in the mind, or commit to memory; as, to con a lesson. – Milton. Holder. To con thanks, to be pleased or obliged, or to thank. [Obs.] – Chaucer. Shak.