knock

[ nok ]

verb (used without object)

1. to strike a sounding blow with the fist, knuckles, or anything hard, especially on a door, window, or the like, as in seeking admittance, calling attention, or giving a signal:

   to knock on the door before entering.

2. to strike in collision; bump:

   He knocked into a table.

3. to make a pounding noise:

   The engine of our car is knocking badly.

4. Informal. to engage in trivial or carping criticism; find fault.
5. Cards. to end a game, as in gin rummy, by laying down a hand in which those cards not included in sets total less than a specific amount.

verb (used with object)

1. to give a sounding or forcible blow to; hit; strike; beat.
2. to drive, force, or render by a blow or blows:

   to knock a man senseless.

3. to make by striking a blow or blows:

   to knock a hole in the wall.

4. to strike (a thing) against something else.
5. Informal. to criticize, especially in a carping manner:

   He's always knocking everything.

6. British Slang. to astound; impress greatly.

noun

1. an act or instance of knocking.
2. the sound of knocking, especially a rap, as at a door.
3. a blow or thump.
4. Informal. an adverse criticism.
5. the noise resulting from faulty combustion or from incorrect functioning of some part of an internal-combustion engine.
6. Cricket. an innings.
7. British Slang.
   1. one of a combination of dealers who bid together, rather than against each other, at an auction, and later resell the purchases among themselves.
   2. an auction at which this is done.
   3. the sale of merchandise recently obtained by a dealer at an auction.

verb phrase

1. 1. Informal. to cease activity, especially work:

      to knock off at five every day.

   2. to stop doing something; quit:

      Knock it off or you'll get into a mess.

   3. Slang. to dispose of; finish.
   4. Slang. to murder; kill.
   5. Slang. to die.
   6. Slang. to get rid of; reduce.
   7. Slang. to disable or defeat.
   8. Slang. to commit a robbery at; steal from:

      The gang knocked off a gas station.

   9. Nautical Slang. to blow the head (of a sailing vessel) off the wind.
   10. to imitate, copy, or plagiarize:

       to knock off designer dresses in cheap materials.

2. 1. to sell at auction by a blow of the hammer or to a bidder.
   2. to take apart or disassemble, as for facility in handling, storing, shipping, etc.
   3. Slang. to receive, as a salary or a scholastic grade; earn:

      He knocks down 30 grand a year.

   4. Informal. to lower the price of; reduce:

      to knock down end-of-season leftovers.

   5. Slang. to embezzle or steal (money).
   6. to cause (a sailing vessel) to heel, as by a gust of wind, to such a degree that it cannot right itself.
3. 1. to defeat (an opponent) in a boxing match by striking such a blow that the opponent is unable to rise within the specified time.
   2. to render (a person) unconscious:

      Those sleeping pills knocked me out for ten hours.

   3. to make tired or exhausted:

      Christmas shopping always knocks me out.

   4. Informal. to produce quickly, hurriedly, or with ease:

      He knocks out two poems a day.

   5. to damage or destroy:

      The explosion knocked out the power for several hours.

   6. knock ( def 28 ).
4. Slang. to drink (a beverage), especially quickly and heartily:

   He knocked back two shots of vodka.

5. to make or construct in a hurry or with little attention to detail:

   He knocked together a couple of tables.

6. Informal.
   1. to wander aimlessly or idly; loaf.
   2. to mistreat (someone), especially physically.
   3. to jar; shake up.
7. 1. to strike (someone or something) from an erect to a prone position:

      to knock over a lamp.

   2. to distress; overcome:

      When the announcement came we were completely knocked over.

   3. Slang. to rob, burglarize, or hijack:

      He knocked over five banks.

8. 1. Slang. to make pregnant.
   2. to exhaust; weary; tire.
   3. to damage; mar:

      The children knocked up the new table.

   4. to injure; wound:

      He was afraid to come home from school all knocked up again.

   5. British. to wake up; rouse; call:

      He knocked us up before dawn.

knock

/ nɒk /

verb

1. tr to give a blow or push to; strike
2. intr to rap sharply with the knuckles, a hard object, etc, esp to capture attention

   to knock at the door

3. tr to make or force by striking

   to knock a hole in the wall

4. intrusually foll byagainst to collide (with)
5. tr to bring into a certain condition by hitting or pushing

   to knock someone unconscious

6. informal.
   tr to criticize adversely; belittle

   to knock someone's work

7. Alsopink intr (of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a characteristic metallic noise as a result of faulty combustion
8. intr (of a bearing, esp one in an engine) to emit a regular characteristic sound as a result of wear
9. slang.
   to have sexual intercourse with (a person)
10. knock a person into the middle of next week informal.
    to hit a person with a very heavy blow
11. knock one's head against
    to have a violent or unpleasant encounter with (adverse facts or circumstances)
12. knock on the head
    1. to daze or kill (a person) by striking on the head
    2. effectively to prevent the further development of (a plan)

noun

1. 1. a blow, push, or rap

      he gave the table a knock

   2. the sound so caused
2. the sound of knocking in an engine or bearing
3. informal.
   a misfortune, rebuff, or setback
4. informal.
   unfavourable criticism
5. informal.
   (in cricket) an innings or a spell of batting

Other Words From

• knockless adjective
• re·knock verb
• un·knocked adjective
• un·knocking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of knock¹

First recorded before 1000; 1890–95 knock fordef 4; Middle English knokken, knoken (verb), Old English cnocian, cnucian; cognate with Old Norse knoka “to thump, knock”

Word History and Origins

Origin of knock¹

Old English cnocian, of imitative origin; related to Old Norse knoka to hit

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. have it knocked, Slang. to be assured of success:

   With a government job, he thought he had it knocked.

2. knock out of the box, Baseball. to cause a pitcher to be removed from the box because the pitcher has permitted too many hits to be made. Also knock out.
3. knock the / one's socks off, Informal. to have an overwhelming effect on:

   The song knocked the socks off the audience.

More idioms and phrases containing knock

• beat (knock) into someone's head
• beat (knock) the living daylights out of
• (knock) down to size
• (knock) off someone's feet
• school of hard knocks

Synonym Study

See strike.

Example Sentences

This courageous act earned him a late-night knock on the door with orders for Serna to vamos from Cuba.

From The Daily Beast

In the back of my mind I was wondering how much time we had before there might be an ominous knock at the door.

From The Daily Beast

I was writing Lorrie Moore knock-off short stories before I switched to nonfiction.

From The Daily Beast

Still, we had the 13 dwarves to deal with, but at least in this movie we get to knock a couple off, which is a relief.

From The Daily Beast

But hey, if you want to take on Cosby for telling you to stay in school, knock yourself out.

From The Daily Beast

If the Turks get hold of a lot of fresh men and throw them upon us during the night,—perhaps they may knock us off into the sea.

From Project Gutenberg

There was no response to the knock, and Davy cautiously pushed open the door and went in.

From Project Gutenberg

Captain Lovelock got up as well; Bernard heard him knock over his little gilded chair.

From Project Gutenberg

“I think it is a knock at the door,” said Mr. Pickwick, as if there could be the smallest doubt of the fact!

From Project Gutenberg

But a knock at the door interrupted them; the discreet Capt entered, bearing a telegram upon a salver.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hammering