knock around

Variant of knock

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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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