knock
19 ENTRIES FOUND:
knocks;
knocked;
knocking
knocks;
knocked;
knocking
Britannica Dictionary definition of KNOCK
1
[no object]
:
to hit something (such as a door) with the knuckles of your hand or with a hard object (such as a knocker) in order to get people's attention
— usually + on
— sometimes used figuratively
-
I heard someone knocking (at the door).
-
I knocked on the door but no one answered.
-
He knocked on the table to call the meeting to order.
-
Campaign workers have been knocking on doors throughout the neighborhood. [=have been going to each house or apartment in the neighborhood to talk with the people who live there]
-
a talented young singer who is knocking on the door of success [=who is very close to achieving success]
2
always followed by an adverb, adjective, or preposition,
[+ object]
:
to hit (something or someone) in a forceful way
-
The ball knocked him on the chin.
-
knock one stick against another = knock two sticks together
-
She knocked the glass from his hand.
-
He knocked the baseball over the fence.
-
The ball hit him in the mouth and knocked out one of his teeth.
-
The wind knocked him backwards.
-
The wind almost knocked him off his feet. = The wind almost knocked him to the ground. [=the wind hit him so hard that he almost fell to the ground]
-
The collision knocked him unconscious/senseless. [=caused him to become unconscious]
-
The collision knocked him flying. [=sent him flying through the air]
3
always followed by an adverb or preposition
:
to touch or hit someone or something in a way that is not planned or intended
[no object]
-
The dog knocked against the lamp.
-
My knee accidentally knocked against the table.
-
Skaters were knocking into each other all over the ice.
-
I kept knocking against him during the bumpy ride. = He and I kept knocking together during the bumpy ride.
[+ object]
-
I accidentally knocked my knee against the table.
4
[+ object]
:
to make (something, such as a hole) by hitting something
-
He used a hammer to knock a hole in the wall.
5
[+ object]
informal
:
to criticize (someone or something)
-
He's always knocking the government.
-
Don't knock it until you've tried it. [=wait until you try something before criticizing it]
6
[no object]
:
to produce a repeated loud noise
-
The engine was knocking.
-
The pipes were knocking.
heart is knocking
informal
◊ If your heart is knocking it is beating very hard, usually because you are nervous or excited.
-
His heart was knocking in his chest.
knees are knocking
informal
◊ If your knees are knocking they are shaking because you are nervous or afraid.
-
Her knees were knocking in terror.
knock around
[phrasal verb] informal also British knock about
1
a
knock around/about (a place)
or
knock around/about
:
to spend time in (a place) without having a goal or purpose
:
to wander around (a place)
-
He spent the summer knocking around (in) Europe.
b
knock around/about with (someone)
British
:
to spend time with (another person)
-
She was knocking around [=hanging around] with her brother.
2
a
:
to be considered or discussed in an informal way over a period of time
-
These ideas have been knocking around [=kicking around] for years.
b
knock around (something)
or
knock (something) around
:
to consider or talk about (ideas, plans, etc.) in an informal way
-
We knocked the plan around for a while before we came to an agreement.
-
They knocked around several possible names for the new car.
3
knock (someone) around/about
:
to beat or hit (someone) badly or repeatedly
— often used figuratively
-
The boy was getting knocked around by bullies.
-
I really got knocked around at the last staff meeting.
4
chiefly British
:
to be lying somewhere within a general area or place
-
That jacket is knocking about/around here somewhere.
knock back
informal
1
knock (something) back
or
knock back (something)
:
to drink or swallow (an alcoholic drink) quickly
-
He stopped at a bar after work to knock back a few beers.
2
knock (someone) back
:
to cost (someone) a lot of money
-
That car must have knocked you back quite a bit. [=you must have spent a lot of money on that car]
knock down
[phrasal verb]
1
knock (someone or something) down
or
knock down (someone or something)
a
:
to cause (someone or something) to fall to the ground
-
He hit him on the chin and knocked him down.
-
The storm knocked down [=knocked over] several big trees.
-
Rowdy fans knocked down the fence.
-
We're planning to knock down [=remove, demolish] a wall to create a bigger room.
b
British
:
to hit and injure or kill (a person or animal) with a vehicle
-
She was knocked down [=(Brit) knocked over, (US) hit] by a car while crossing the street.
2
informal
a
knock (something) down
or
knock down (something)
:
to reduce or lower (a price, an amount, etc.)
-
They knocked down the price of the house by 10 percent.
-
He wanted $50 for it but I managed to knock the price down to $45.
b
knock (someone) down
:
to cause or persuade (someone) to reduce a price
-
He wanted $50 for it but I managed to knock him down to $45.
3
knock down (an amount of money)
US, informal
:
to receive (an amount of money) as income or salary
-
He knocks down almost a million dollars a year.
4
knock down (a shot)
or
knock (a shot) down
basketball
:
to succeed in making (a shot) especially from a long distance
-
He was knocking down jump shots.
5
knock (something) down
or
knock down (something)
chiefly US, informal
:
to say no to (an idea, plan, proposal, etc.)
:
reject
-
His boss knocked down [=shot down] all of his ideas.
6
knock (something) down
or
knock down (something)
US
:
to take (something) apart
-
We knocked the bed down so it would fit in the truck.
knock heads
US, informal
1
:
to argue or disagree
-
The two of them knocked heads soon after they started working together.
2
:
to use angry or forceful methods to control or punish people
— often + together
-
I am going in there and knock some heads if they don't start behaving.
-
I am going to go in there and knock their heads together if they don't start behaving.
knock in
[phrasal verb]
knock (a run or runner) in
or
knock in (a run or runner)
baseball
:
to cause (a run or runner) to score
-
He knocked in [=batted in, drove in] a run in the second inning with a double to left field.
knock off
[phrasal verb] informal
1
knock off
or
knock (something) off
or
knock off (something)
:
to stop doing something (such as work)
— often used as a command to tell someone to stop doing something immediately
-
We are going to knock off for lunch in 10 minutes.
-
The boss said we could knock off early today. = The boss said we could knock off work early today.
-
Knock off your fighting right now!
-
I told you two kids to knock it off!
2
knock (something) off
or
knock off (something)
a
:
to do or make (something) very quickly
-
He knocked off 10 paintings in 4 days.
-
We are planning to knock this project off in a weekend.
b
:
to take (an amount) away from something
-
He agreed to knock off 10 dollars from the price. [=to reduce the price by 10 dollars]
-
This shortcut will knock at least 100 miles off the journey.
c
US
:
to steal money or things from (a bank or store)
-
They knocked off [=knocked over] a jewelry store.
d
chiefly British
:
to steal (something)
-
They knocked off a lot of valuable merchandise.
e
US
:
to make a cheaper copy of (something)
—
see also knockoff
-
Several other companies knocked off their dress design.
3
knock (someone) off
or
knock off (someone)
a
:
to kill (someone)
-
He tried to knock off two men who owed him money.
-
Did she really want to knock her husband off?
b
US
:
to defeat (someone)
-
They knocked off the best team in the league.
knock on wood
knock out
[phrasal verb]
1
knock (someone or something) out
or
knock out (someone or something)
a
:
to make (a person or animal) unconscious
-
The drug knocked him out.
-
The force of the collision knocked him out. [=knocked him cold]
-
He hit his head against the table when he fell and knocked himself out.
b
boxing
:
to defeat (an opponent) with a punch that knocks the opponent down for a certain amount of time
—
see also 1knockout 1
-
He was knocked out in the third round.
c
:
to defeat (an opponent) in a competition so that the opponent cannot continue
-
My team was the favorite to win the championship, but we were knocked out (of the competition) in the third round.
d
baseball
:
to cause (a pitcher) to be removed from the game by getting many hits
-
The starting pitcher was knocked out (of the game) in the fourth inning.
2
knock (something) out
or
knock out (something)
a
:
to cause (something) to stop working
-
Missiles knocked out the television station.
-
The storm knocked out electricity across the state.
b
:
to produce (something) very quickly
-
a musical group that just keeps knocking out hit records
3
knock (yourself) out
informal
a
:
to make (yourself) very tired by doing work
-
They knocked themselves out trying to build a garage.
-
I knocked myself out [=I worked very hard] to get the job done on time.
b
US
— used to tell someone to go ahead and do something
-
“Do you mind if I use this exercise machine first?” “Knock yourself out.”
4
knock (someone) out
informal
:
to make a very strong and good impression on (someone)
—
see also 1knockout 2
-
Her beauty just knocks me out. [=I think she is very beautiful]
-
Everyone was knocked out by his suggestion. [=everyone liked his suggestion very much]
knock over
[phrasal verb]
1
knock (someone or something) over
or
knock over (someone or something)
a
:
to cause (someone or something) to fall to the ground
-
The dog knocked over the lamp.
-
The wind was so strong that it almost knocked her over. [=knocked her down]
b
British
:
to hit and injure or kill (a person or animal) with a vehicle
-
The dog was knocked over [=(Brit) knocked down, (US) hit] by a car.
2
knock (someone) over
or
knock over (someone)
informal
:
to greatly surprise or shock (someone)
-
He was knocked over [=overwhelmed] by the news.
-
When I found out I had won, you could have knocked me over with a feather. [=I was extremely surprised or astonished]
3
knock (something) over
or
knock over (something)
US, informal
a
:
to steal money or things from (a bank or store)
-
Three men knocked over [=knocked off] a bank.
b
:
to steal (something)
-
They knocked over a truckload of goods.
knock (someone) cold
:
to cause (someone) to become unconscious
-
He knocked his opponent cold with one punch.
-
She was knocked cold [=knocked out] by the collision.
knock (someone) dead
informal
:
to make a very strong and good impression on (someone)
-
Her performance really knocked the audience dead. [=the audience greatly enjoyed her performance]
-
She told him to go out there on the stage and knock 'em dead.
knock (someone) for a loop
knock (someone) for six
knock someone's head/block off
informal
:
to hit someone very hard
-
I'm so angry I'd like to knock his block off.
knock (someone) sideways
British
:
to upset, confuse, or shock (someone) very much
-
The news about his mother's accident really knocked him sideways.
knock some sense into
knock (something) on the head
British, informal
:
to cause the end or failure of (something)
-
The closing of the airport knocked our holiday plans on the head.
knock spots off
knock the (living) daylights out of
knock the stuffing out of
knock together
[phrasal verb]
knock (something) together
or
knock together (something)
:
to make or build (something) in a quick or careless way
-
a rough table that was knocked together from old pieces of wood
knock up
[phrasal verb]
1
knock (someone) up
or
knock up (someone)
informal
a
chiefly US, impolite
:
to make (someone) pregnant
-
She got knocked up. [=she got pregnant]
b
British
:
to wake (someone) by knocking on a door
-
knocked him up at 6 a.m.
2
knock (something) up
or
knock up (something)
British
:
to make or produce (something) quickly
-
knock up a quick meal
knock your socks off
2
knock
/ˈnɑːk/
noun
plural
knocks
2
knock
/ˈnɑːk/
noun
plural
knocks
Britannica Dictionary definition of KNOCK
1
[count]
a
:
a hard, sharp hit
-
He gave him a knock on the head.
b
:
the sound made by a hard hit
-
There was a loud knock at the door.
2
[count]
informal
:
an experience that makes you less confident or successful for a period of time
:
a difficult or painful experience
—
see also hard knocks (below)
-
She took some knocks early in her career.
-
Most performers have their share of knocks [=setbacks] on their way to stardom.
3
[count]
informal
:
a critical or negative comment
— often used in U.S. English in the phrase the knock against
-
He likes praise but can't stand the knocks.
-
The knock against her is that she can't win the important matches. [=people say that she cannot win the important matches]
-
One of the knocks against television is that there are too many commercials.
4
:
a loud noise produced by an engine when it is not working properly
[count]
-
We heard a knock in the engine.
[noncount]
-
a type of fuel that reduces engine knock
hard knocks
:
difficult or painful experiences that people have in their lives or careers
-
He has taken plenty of hard knocks in his life.
-
The school of hard knocks [=the difficult experiences in his life] taught him how to be tough.
