knock
[ nok ]
/ nɒk /
verb (used without object)
to strike a sounding blow with the fist, knuckles, or anything hard, especially on a door, window, or the like, as in seeking admittance, calling attention, or giving a signal: to knock on the door before entering.
to strike in collision; bump: He knocked into a table.
to make a pounding noise: The engine of our car is knocking badly.
Informal.
to engage in trivial or carping criticism; find fault.
Cards.
to end a game, as in gin rummy, by laying down a hand in which those cards not included in sets total less than a specific amount.
verb (used with object)
to give a sounding or forcible blow to; hit; strike; beat.
to drive, force, or render by a blow or blows: to knock a man senseless.
to make by striking a blow or blows: to knock a hole in the wall.
to strike (a thing) against something else.
Informal.
to criticize, especially in a carping manner: He's always knocking everything.
British Slang.
to astound; impress greatly.
noun
an act or instance of knocking.
the sound of knocking, especially a rap, as at a door.
a blow or thump.
Informal.
an adverse criticism.
the noise resulting from faulty combustion or from incorrect functioning of some part of an internal-combustion engine.
Cricket.
an innings.
British Slang.
- one of a combination of dealers who bid together, rather than against each other, at an auction, and later resell the purchases among themselves.
- an auction at which this is done.
- the sale of merchandise recently obtained by a dealer at an auction.
Verb Phrases
knock around/about, Informal.
- to wander aimlessly or idly; loaf.
- to mistreat (someone), especially physically.
- to jar; shake up.
knock back, Slang.
to drink (a beverage), especially quickly and heartily: He knocked back two shots of vodka.
knock down,
- to sell at auction by a blow of the hammer or to a bidder.
- to take apart or disassemble, as for facility in handling, storing, shipping, etc.
- Slang. to receive, as a salary or a scholastic grade; earn: He knocks down 30 grand a year.
- Informal. to lower the price of; reduce: to knock down end-of-season leftovers.
- Slang. to embezzle or steal (money).
- to cause (a sailing vessel) to heel, as by a gust of wind, to such a degree that it cannot right itself.
knock off,
- Informal. to cease activity, especially work: to knock off at five every day.
- to stop doing something; quit: Knock it off or you'll get into a mess.
- Slang. to dispose of; finish.
- Slang. to murder; kill.
- Slang. to die.
- Slang. to get rid of; reduce.
- Slang. to disable or defeat.
- Slang. to commit a robbery at; steal from: The gang knocked off a gas station.
- Nautical Slang. to blow the head (of a sailing vessel) off the wind.
- to imitate, copy, or plagiarize: to knock off designer dresses in cheap materials.
knock out,
- to defeat (an opponent) in a boxing match by striking such a blow that the opponent is unable to rise within the specified time.
- to render (a person) unconscious: Those sleeping pills knocked me out for ten hours.
- to make tired or exhausted: Christmas shopping always knocks me out.
- Informal. to produce quickly, hurriedly, or with ease: He knocks out two poems a day.
- to damage or destroy: The explosion knocked out the power for several hours.
- knock(def 28).
knock over,
- to strike (someone or something) from an erect to a prone position: to knock over a lamp.
- to distress; overcome: When the announcement came we were completely knocked over.
- Slang. to rob, burglarize, or hijack: He knocked over five banks.
knock together,
to make or construct in a hurry or with little attention to detail: He knocked together a couple of tables.
knock up,
- Slang. to make pregnant.
- to exhaust; weary; tire.
- to damage; mar: The children knocked up the new table.
- to injure; wound: He was afraid to come home from school all knocked up again.
- British. to wake up; rouse; call: He knocked us up before dawn.
Idioms for knock
have it knocked, Slang.
to be assured of success: With a government job, he thought he had it knocked.
knock out of the box, Baseball.
to cause a pitcher to be removed from the box because the pitcher has permitted too many hits to be made.
Also knock out.
knock the/one's socks off, Informal.
to have an overwhelming effect on: The song knocked the socks off the audience.
Origin of knock
before 1000; 1890–95
for def 4; Middle English
knokken, knoken (v.), Old English
cnocian, cnucian; cognate with Old Norse
knoka to thump, knock
OTHER WORDS FROM knock
knock·less, adjective re·knock, verb un·knocked, adjective un·knock·ing, adjectiveWords nearby knock
knobbly,
knobby,
knobcone pine,
knobhead,
knobkerrie,
knock,
knock about,
knock back,
knock cold,
knock dead,
knock down
Example sentences from the Web for knock
Still, we had the 13 dwarves to deal with, but at least in this movie we get to knock a couple off, which is a relief.
‘No Regrets’: Peter Jackson Says Goodbye to Middle-Earth |Alex Suskind |December 4, 2014 |DAILY BEASTBut hey, if you want to take on Cosby for telling you to stay in school, knock yourself out.
If none of these songs are likely to knock “Like a Rolling Stone” off your playlist, neither is anything here an embarrassment.
Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, and Others Crowdsource A Dylan Album |Malcolm Jones |November 16, 2014 |DAILY BEASTA canvasser will knock on their door and ask voters to sign the card.
This Tuesday, a bunch of vampires and would-be superheroes will knock on our doors and ask us to reward them.
A knock at the door of the sitting-room, where they went when they were dressed, made them all turn.
Winona of the Camp Fire |Margaret WiddemerCome, come, I must knock the lot down, which perhaps would not please some whom I could mention.
Pearl-Maiden |H. Rider HaggardWhen they reached the Smiths' Street, the sledge-runners began to knock against the stones, for the snow had been cleared away.
The German Lieutenant and Other Stories |August StrindbergHe made a dive into a deeper obscurity and I lost him until I heard his knock.
The Jervaise Comedy |J. D. BeresfordSo he shall Nell, and if I joyn with him, we'll knock them all.
Beaumont & Fletcher's Works (6 of 10): The Queen of Corinth; |Francis Beaumont
British Dictionary definitions for knock
knock
/ (nɒk) /
verb
(tr)
to give a blow or push to; strike
(intr)
to rap sharply with the knuckles, a hard object, etc, esp to capture attention
to knock at the door
(tr)
to make or force by striking
to knock a hole in the wall
(intr usually foll by against)
to collide (with)
(tr)
to bring into a certain condition by hitting or pushing
to knock someone unconscious
(tr) informal
to criticize adversely; belittle
to knock someone's work
Also: pink (intr)
(of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a characteristic metallic noise as a result of faulty combustion
(intr)
(of a bearing, esp one in an engine) to emit a regular characteristic sound as a result of wear
British slang
to have sexual intercourse with (a person)
knock a person into the middle of next week informal
to hit a person with a very heavy blow
knock one's head against
to have a violent or unpleasant encounter with (adverse facts or circumstances)
knock on the head
- to daze or kill (a person) by striking on the head
- effectively to prevent the further development of (a plan)
noun
- a blow, push, or raphe gave the table a knock
- the sound so caused
the sound of knocking in an engine or bearing
informal
a misfortune, rebuff, or setback
informal
unfavourable criticism
informal
(in cricket) an innings or a spell of batting
Word Origin for knock
Old English
cnocian, of imitative origin; related to Old Norse
knoka to hit
Idioms and Phrases with knock
knock
In addition to the idioms beginning with knock
- knock about
- knock back
- knock cold
- knock dead
- knock down
- knock down with a feather
- knock for a loop
- knock into a cocked hat
- knock it off
- knock off
- knock oneself out
- knock on wood
- knock out
- knock over
- knock over with a feather
- knock someone's block off
- knock someone's socks off
- knock the bottom out of
- knock the living daylights out of
- knock the socks off
- knock together
- knock up
also see:
- beat (knock) into someone's head
- beat (knock) the living daylights out of
- (knock) down to size
- (knock) off someone's feet
- school of hard knocks