Hadst knowledge of is an archaic term that was commonly used in Early Modern English. It is a verb phrase that consists of two parts: "hadst," which is the second-person singular form of the verb "have" in the past tense, and "knowledge of," which means awareness or understanding.
Hadst, derived from "have," indicates possession or ownership of something in the past. It implies that the subject, typically the second-person singular pronoun "thou" or "you," possessed knowledge at a specific time.
Knowledge of, on the other hand, refers to having information, comprehension, or familiarity with a particular subject or matter. It reflects the condition of being aware or informed about something.
Together, "hadst knowledge of" implies that the subject possessed or owned knowledge about something in the past. It suggests that the person had awareness or understanding of a specific concept, information, or event during a previous period.
It is important to note that "hadst knowledge of" is considered archaic and is no longer commonly used in contemporary English. Instead, modern English typically employs simpler forms, such as "had knowledge of" or "knew." However, encountering "hadst knowledge of" may still occur when reading or studying literature or historical texts from the Early Modern English period.
