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knock

Pronunciation: /nɒk/
Translate knock | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of knock

verb

  • 1 [no object] strike a surface noisily to attract attention, especially when waiting to be let in through a door:he strolled over and knocked on a door marked Enquiries
  • strike or thump together or against something:her heart knocked painfully behind her ribs
  • (of a motor or other engine) make a regular thumping or rattling noise, e.g. through pinking.
  • 2 [with object] collide with (someone or something), giving them a hard blow:he deliberately ran against her, knocking her shoulder [no object]:he knocked into an elderly man with a walking stick
  • [with object and adverbial of direction] force to move or fall with a deliberate or accidental blow or collision:he’d knocked over a glass of water
  • injure or damage by striking:she knocked her knee painfully on the table figurativeyou have had a setback that has knocked your self-esteem
  • make (a hole or a dent) in something by striking it forcefully:you’ll need to knock a hole in the wall
  • demolish the barriers between (rooms or buildings):two of the downstairs rooms had been knocked into one
  • 3 [with object] informal talk disparagingly about; criticize.
  • 4 [with object] informal approach (a specified age):he’s younger than his brother—knocking seventy

noun

  • 1a sudden short sound caused by a blow, especially on a door to attract attention or gain entry.
  • [mass noun] a continual thumping or rattling sound made by an engine.
  • 2a blow or collision:the casing is tough enough to withstand knocks
  • a discouraging experience; a setback:the region’s industries have taken a severe knock
  • informal a critical comment.
  • 3 Cricket, informal an innings, especially of an individual batsman:a splendid knock of 117 against Somerset

Phrases

knock someone's block off

informal hit someone very hard.

knock the bottom out of

see bottom.

knock someone dead

informal greatly impress someone.

knock someone for six

see six.

knock people's heads together

see bang people's heads together at bang1.

knock something into a cocked hat

see cocked hat.

knock someone into the middle of next week

informal hit someone very hard.

knock someone/thing into shape

see shape.

knock it off

informal stop doing something.

knock someone on the head

stun or kill someone by a blow to the head.

knock something on the head

British informal prevent an idea, plan, or proposal from being developed or carried out: the fond belief that the weather is always better in California than in Europe was firmly knocked on the head this week

knock on wood

see touch wood at wood.

knock someone's socks off

see sock.

knock spots off

British informal easily outdo.

the school of hard knocks

painful or difficult experiences that are seen to be useful in teaching someone about life.

you could have knocked me (or her, him, etc.) down with a feather

informal used to express great surprise.

Phrasal Verbs

knock about (or around)

informal
travel without a specific purpose:for a couple of years she and I knocked around the Mediterranean
happen to be present:it gets confusing when there are too many people knocking about
chiefly British spend time with someone:she knocked around with artists

knock someone/thing about (or around)

injure or damage by rough treatment.

knock someone back

British informal
  • 1reject or discourage a person or their request or suggestion: he applied for funding for nine different projects and was knocked back each time
  • 2cost someone a specified, typically large, amount of money:buying that house must have knocked them back a bit

knock something back

  • 1 informal consume a drink quickly.
  • 2work risen dough by vigorous kneading to expel air before baking.

knock someone down (or over)

chiefly British (especially of a vehicle) strike or collide with someone so as to cause them to fall to the ground:I was nearly knocked down by a bus

knock something down

  • 1demolish a building or other structure:the closely packed terraced houses were knocked down in the interests of ‘progress’
  • 2(at an auction) confirm the sale of an article to a bidder by a knock with a hammer.
  • informal reduce the price of an article.
  • 3US informal earn a specified sum as a wage.
  • 4Australian/NZ informal spend a pay cheque freely.

knock off

informal stop work.

knock someone off

  • 1 informal kill someone.
  • 2British vulgar slang have sexual intercourse with a woman.

knock something off

  • 1 informal produce a piece of work quickly and without much effort.
  • 2 informal deduct an amount from a total:when the bill came they knocked off £600 because of a little scratch
  • 3British informal steal something.
  • North American informal rob a shop or similar establishment.
  • informal make an illegal copy of a product.

knock on

  • 1 informal grow old:she’s knocking on a bit
  • 2 (also knock the ball on) Rugby illegally drive the ball with the hand or arm towards the opponents' goal line.

knock someone out

  • 1make a person unconscious, typically with a blow to the head.
  • knock down (a boxer) for a count of ten, thereby winning the contest.
  • (knock oneself out) informal work so hard that one is exhausted.
  • informal astonish or greatly impress someone.
  • 2defeat a competitor in a knockout competition:England had been knocked out of the World Cup

knock something out

  • 1destroy, damage, or disable a machine or piece of equipment: the fault disabled two backup systems and knocked out the computer
  • 2 informal produce work at a steady fast rate:if you knock out a thousand words a day you’ll soon have finished
  • 3empty a tobacco pipe by tapping it against a surface.
  • 4Australian/NZ informal earn a specified sum of money.

knock someone over

another way of saying knock someone down .

knock something over

North American informal rob a shop or similar establishment.

knock someone sideways

informal astonish someone.

knock something together

assemble something in a hasty and makeshift way.

knock up

British informal (in a racket game) practise before formal play begins.

knock someone up

  • 1British wake or attract the attention of someone by knocking at their door.
  • 2 informal make a woman pregnant.

knock something up

  • 1British make something in a hurry.
  • 2 Cricket score runs rapidly.

Origin:

Old English cnocian, of imitative origin

knock in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of knock in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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