knock Hear it!

knock Definition

knock (näk)

intransitive verb

  1. to strike a blow or blows with the fist or some hard object; esp., to rap on a door
  2. to bump; collide; clash
  3. to make a thumping, pounding, or rattling noise: said of an engine, etc.
  4. ☆ Informal to find fault; criticize adversely
  5. ☆ Gin Rummy to end a deal by exposing one's hand and showing a surplus of not more than ten points in unmatched cards

Etymology: ME knokken < OE cnocian, akin to ON knoka, MHG knochen, to press < echoic base > knack

transitive verb

  1. to hit; strike
  2. to make by hitting or striking to knock a hole in a wall
  3. ☆ Informal to find fault with; criticize adversely

noun

  1. the act of knocking
  2. a hit; sharp or resounding blow; rap, as on a door
  3. a thumping or rattling noise in an engine, etc., as because of faulty combustion
  4. ☆ Informal an adverse criticism
  5. Informal a misfortune or trouble the school of hard knocks

knock Idioms

knock about

or knock aroundInformal
  1. to wander about; roam
  2. to treat roughly

knock back

Informal to gulp down (an alcoholic drink)

knock down

  1. to hit so as to cause to fall
  2. ☆ to take apart for convenience in shipping
    1. to sell at auction
    2. to indicate the sale of (an article) at an auction, as by a blow of the auctioneer's hammer
  4. Slang to earn as pay

knock for a loop

or throw for a loop☆ Slang
  1. to punch very hard
  2. to defeat or overcome
  3. to shock, amaze, confuse, etc.

knock it off!

☆

Slang stop doing that!specif., stop talking!

knock off

  1. Informal
    1. to stop working
    2. to leave off (work)
  2. Informal to deduct
  3. Informal to do; accomplish
  4. ☆ Slang to kill, overcome, etc.
  5. ☆ Slang to make a knockoff of

knock oneself out

☆

to make great efforts; exhaust oneself

knock out

  1. Boxing to defeat (an opponent) by knocking to the ground so that it is not possible to rise before an official count of ten
    1. to make unconscious
    2. to make exhausted; tire out
  3. to defeat, destroy, etc.
  4. Informal to do; make; specif., to compose or write casually or with careless haste
  5. Slang to overwhelm with excited delight; thrill

knock out of the box

☆

Etymology: in allusion to the pitcher's box, the area formerly marked around the pitching rubber

Baseball to make so many hits against (an opposing pitcher) as to cause the pitcher's removal

knock over

☆ Slang to rob

knock together

  1. to cause to collide
  2. to make or compose hastily or crudely

knock up

  1. Brit., Informal
    1. to tire out; exhaust
    2. to wake (someone), as by knocking at the door
  2. ☆ Slang to make pregnant

knock Synonyms

knock

n.

rap, thump, whack; see beat 1, blow 1, injury 1.

knock Synonyms

knock

v.

tap, rap, thump; see beat 1, 2, hit 1, hurt 1.

knock Usage Examples

Object

  • down,we: We get knocked down,We 'll get up again,your NEVER gunna keep us down!
  • ball: It can knock a ball across the court which, even at full run, you will not be able to return.
  • conker: Are Worthing Boro Council and the police right to stop children from knocking conkers off trees?
  • nail: A bookcase can be made in many ways, including holding it together by knocking nails in with a screwdriver.

Preposition: on

  • door: She is startled by a knock on the door.
  • door.: There is a knock on the door. ) SCULLY: Who is it?
  • effect: Removing these skills thus has a knock on effect on society leading to a decline.

Preposition: at

door: He is already knocking at the door of your heart.

Adjective modifier

  • nasty: Big Ole Bike Bash Had a nasty knock on two wheels?
  • loud: About an hour later Betty was startled by a loud knock at the door.

Adjective complement

  • unconscious: His friend, the 19-year-old driver, was wearing a seatbelt properly and was knocked unconscious.
  • senseless: No sooner was that said than witness was knocked senseless to the ground.. ... .

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • down: They were knocked down in the 1960s to allow the road to be widened to carry more traffic.
  • over: You set up a straw man to knock over.
  • off: The rogue blade knocked off my glasses, which then smashed on the garage floor.
  • around: I don't really knock around with players who are still in the game.
  • out: Tyson was knocked out by Danny Williams of Brixton on 30 July.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • down: Go out & knock down wasps nest with rake, feeling guilty.
  • off: Lampard's thighs look like he should be knocking off people with more ease than the wind blows!

Noun used with modifier

ankle: Mark Kennedy has recovered from a gashed foot and Kenny Miller from an ankle knock.