knock
( knocks plural & 3rd person present) ( knocking present participle) ( knocked past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you knockon something such as a door or window, you hit it, usually several times, to attract someone's attention.
She went directly to Simon's apartment and knocked on the door... V on/at n
He knocked before going in. V
Knock is also a noun., n-count
They heard a knock at the front door.
♦
knocking n-sing also no det
They were wakened by a loud knocking at the door.
2 verb If you knock something, you touch or hit it roughly, especially so that it falls or moves.
She accidentally knocked the tea tin off the shelf... V n prep
Isabel rose so abruptly that she knocked down her chair... V n with adv
Knock is also a noun., n-count
The bags have tough exterior materials to protect against knocks, rain and dust.
3 verb If someone knocks two rooms or buildings into one, or knocks them together, they make them form one room or building by removing a wall.
They decided to knock the two rooms into one... V pl-n into n
The spacious kitchen was achieved by knocking together three small rooms. V pl-n with together
4 verb To knock someone into a particular position or condition means to hit them very hard so that they fall over or become unconscious.
The third wave was so strong it knocked me backwards... V n prep/adv
Someone had knocked him unconscious. V n adj
5 verb To knock a particular quality or characteristic out of someone means to make them lose it.
no cont
The stories of his links with the actress had knocked the fun out of him... V n out of n
Those people hurt me and knocked my confidence. V n
6 verb If you knock something or someone, you criticize them and say unpleasant things about them.
INFORMAL I'm not knocking them: if they want to do it, it's up to them... V n
7 n-count If someone receives a knock, they have an unpleasant experience which prevents them from achieving something or which causes them to change their attitudes or plans.
(=blow)
What they said was a real knock to my self-confidence...
8
→
to knock something on the head
→
head
→
to knock someone or something into shape
→
shape knock about
→
knock around knock around
in BRIT, also use knock about
1 phrasal verb If someone knocks you around or knocks you about, they hit or kick you several times.
(mainly BRIT)
INFORMAL He lied to me constantly and started knocking me around. V n P
2 phrasal verb If someone knocks around or knocks about somewhere, they spend time there, experiencing different situations or just passing time.
...reporters who knock around in troubled parts of the world... V P prep/adv
I know nothing about him except that he knocked about South Africa for a while. V P n
3 phrasal verb If someone or something is knocking around or knocking about, they are present in a particular place.
(mainly BRIT) only cont
There were a couple of decent kits knocking around, but this wasn't one of them!... V P
4 phrasal verb If you knock around or knock aboutwith someone, you spend your spare time with them, either because you are one of their friends or because you are their boyfriend or girlfriend.
(mainly BRIT)
(=hang around)
I used to knock about with all the lads from round where Mum lives... V P with n
They were knocking around together for about a year. pl-n V P together knock back
1 phrasal verb If you knock back a drink, especially an alcoholic one, you drink it quickly, and often in large amounts.
INFORMAL He was knocking back his 10th gin and tonic of the day... V P n (not pron)
She poured some vodka into a glass and knocked it back in two swallows. V n P
2 phrasal verb If an event, situation, or person knocks you back, they prevent you from progressing or achieving something.
(mainly BRIT)
(=set back)
It seemed as though every time we got rolling something came along to knock us back... V n P
That really knocked back any hope for further peace negotiations. V P n (not pron) knock down
1 phrasal verb If someone is knocked down or is knocked over by a vehicle or its driver, they are hit by a car and fall to the ground, and are often injured or killed.
(=run over)
He died in hospital after being knocked down by a car... be V-ed P
A drunk driver knocked down and killed two girls... V P n (not pron)
A car knocked him over. V n P
2 phrasal verb To knock down a building or part of a building means to demolish it.
(=pull down)
Why doesn't he just knock the wall down?... V n P
They have since knocked down the shack. V P n (not pron)
3 phrasal verb To knock down a price or amount means to decrease it.
(mainly AM)
The market might abandon the stock, and knock down its price... V P n (not pron)
It manages to knock rents down to $1 per square foot. V n P
in BRIT, usually use bring down knock off
1 phrasal verb To knock off an amount from a price, time, or level means to reduce it by that amount.
Udinese have knocked 10% off admission prices... V amount P n
When pressed they knock off 10 per cent. V P amount
2 phrasal verb If you knock something off a list or document, you remove it.
Tighter rules for benefit entitlement have knocked many people off the unemployment register. V n P n, Also V n P
3 phrasal verb When you knock off, you finish work at the end of the day or before a break.
INFORMAL If I get this report finished I'll knock off early... V P knock out
1 phrasal verb To knock someone out means to cause them to become unconscious or to go to sleep.
The three drinks knocked him out... V n P
He had never been knocked out in a professional fight. V n P, Also V P n (not pron)
2 phrasal verb If a person or team is knocked out of a competition, they are defeated in a game, so that they take no more part in the competition.
Henri Leconte has been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Geneva Open... be V-ed P
The Irish came so close to knocking England out of the European Championships. V n P of n, Also V P n
→
knockout
3 phrasal verb If something is knocked out by enemy action or bad weather, it is destroyed or stops functioning because of it. Our bombers have knocked out the mobile launchers... V P n (not pron) knock over →
knock down 1
knock-kneed
Someone who is knock-kneed has legs which turn inwards at the knees. adj
knock-on
If there is a knock-on effect, one action or event causes several other events to happen one after the other.
(BRIT) adj ADJ n
The cut in new car prices has had a knock-on effect on the price of used cars.