nɔk v. & n. --v. 1 a tr.
strike (a
hard surface)
with an
audible sharp blow (knocked
the table three times). b intr. strike,
esp. a
door to
gain admittance (can
you hear someone knocking?; knocked at the door). 2 tr.
make (a
hole, a
dent, etc.) by knocking (knock a hole in the fence). 3 tr. (usu. foll. by
in,
out,
off, etc.)
drive (a
thing, a
person, etc.) by
striking (knocked the ball
into the hole; knocked
those ideas out of
his head; knocked
her hand away). 4 tr. sl.
criticize. 5 intr. a (of a
motor or
other engine) make a
thumping or
rattling noise esp. as the
result of a
loose bearing. b =
PINK(3). 6 tr.
Brit. sl. make a
strong impression on,
astonish. 7 tr. Brit.
coarse sl. offens. = knock off 7. --n. 1 an
act of knocking. 2 a sharp
rap, esp. at a door. 3 an audible sharp blow. 4 the
sound of knocking in esp. a motor
engine. 5 Cricket colloq. an
innings. øknock
about (or around) 1 strike repeatedly;
treat roughly (knocked her about). 2 lead a wandering
adventurous life;
wander aimlessly. 3 be present
without design or
volition (there's a
cup knocking about somewhere). 4 (usu. foll. by with) be associated socially (knocks about with his brother). knock
against 1
collide with. 2
come across casually. knock
back 1 Brit. sl.
eat or
drink, esp. quickly. 2 Brit. sl.
disconcert. 3
Austral. & NZ colloq. refuse,
rebuff. knock-back n. Austral. & NZ colloq. a
refusal, a rebuff. knock the
bottom out of see BOTTOM. knock down 1 strike (esp. a person) to the ground with a blow. 2
demolish. 3 (usu. foll. by to) (at an auction)
dispose of (an article) to a bidder by a knock with a
hammer (knocked the Picasso down to
him for a million). 4 colloq. lower the
price of (an article). 5
take (machinery,
furniture, etc.) to pieces for
transportation. 6 US sl.
steal. 7 Austral. & NZ sl.
spend (a pay
cheque etc.) freely. knock-down attrib.adj. 1 (of a blow,
misfortune,
argument, etc.)
overwhelming. 2 Brit. (of a price)
very low. 3 (of a price at auction)
reserve. 4 (of furniture etc.)
easily dismantled
and reassembled. --n. Austral. & NZ sl. an
introduction (to a person). knock for knock
agreement an agreement
between insurance companies by
which each pays
its own policyholder regardless of
liability. knock one's head against come into
collision with (unfavourable facts or conditions). knocking-shop Brit. sl. a
brothel. knock into a cocked
hat see
COCK(1). knock into the
middle of
next week colloq.
send (a person)
flying, esp. with a blow. knock into
shape see SHAPE. knock-kneed having knock knees. knock knees an
abnormal condition with the legs curved
inwards at the
knee. knock off 1 strike off with a blow. 2 colloq. a
finish work (knocked off at 5.30). b finish (work) (knocked off work early). 3 colloq.
dispatch (business). 4 colloq. rapidly
produce (a work of art, verses, etc.). 5 (often foll. by from)
deduct (a sum)
from a price, bill, etc. 6 sl. steal. 7 Brit. coarse sl. offens.
have sexual intercourse with (a woman). 8 sl.
kill. knock on
Rugby Football drive (a ball) with the hand or arm
towards the opponents' goal-line. knock-on n. an act of knocking on. knock-on
effect a
secondary,
indirect, or
cumulative effect. knock on the head 1
stun or kill (a person) by a blow on the head. 2 colloq. put an
end to (a
scheme etc.). knock on (or knock)
wood US =
touch wood. knock out 1 make (a person)
unconscious by a blow on the head. 2 knock down (a boxer) for a count of 10,
thereby winning the
contest. 3
defeat, esp. in a
knockout competition. 4 sl. astonish. 5 (refl.) colloq.
exhaust (knocked
themselves out swimming). 6 colloq. make or
write (a
plan etc.) hastily. 7
empty (a tobacco-pipe) by tapping. 8 Austral.,
NZ, & US sl.
earn. knock
sideways colloq. disconcert; astonish. knock spots off defeat easily. knock
together put together or
assemble hastily or roughly. knock
under submit. knock up 1 make or
arrange hastily. 2 drive upwards with a blow. 3 a
become exhausted or
ill. b exhaust or make ill. 4 Brit.
arouse (a person) by a knock at the door. 5 Cricket
score (runs) rapidly. 6 esp. US sl. make
pregnant. 7
practise a ball game
before formal play begins. knock-up n. a
practice at
tennis etc. take a (or the) knock be hard
hit financially or emotionally. [ME f. OE cnocian: prob. imit.]