knock off

British  

verb

1. informal (intr, also preposition) to finish work

   we knocked off an hour early

2. informal (tr) to make or do hastily or easily

   to knock off a novel in a week

3. informal (tr; also preposition) to reduce the price of (an article) by (a stated amount)

4. slang (tr) to kill

5. slang (tr) to rob or steal

   to knock off a bank

   to knock off a watch

6. slang (tr) to stop doing something, used as a command

   knock it off!

7. slang (tr) to have sexual intercourse with; to seduce

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noun

1. informal

   1. an illegal imitation of a well-known product

   2. ( as modifier )

      knockoff watches

knock off Idioms  

1. Take a break or rest from, stop, especially quit working. For example, He knocked off work at noon , or Let's knock off at five o'clock . [ Colloquial ; mid-1600s] Also see knock it off .

2. Also, knock out . Dispose of or produce easily or hastily, finish, as in A writer of detective novels, he knocks off a book a year , or We can knock out a rough drawing in a few minutes . The first colloquial usage dates from the early 1800s, the variant from the mid-1800s.

3. Get rid of, reduce, as in She knocked off twelve pounds in a month , or They knocked off one-third of the original price . [ Colloquial ; early 1800s]

4. Kill, murder, as in They decided to knock off the old lady . [ Slang ; early 1900s] Also see knock someone's block off .

5. Copy or imitate, especially without permission, as in They are knocking off designer Swiss watches and selling them for a few dollars . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]

6. Hold up, rob, as in The gang knocked off two liquor stores in half an hour . [ Slang ; early 1900s] Also see knock the socks off .

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Example Sentences

What if she slipped off her tree or was knocked off?

From Literature

Last season, the Eagles knocked off Ontario Christian in the regionals.

From Los Angeles Times

A 26-year-old surfer was knocked off his board by high waves at a Santa Barbara County beach Friday evening.

From Los Angeles Times

“Maybe we can knock off the end of part two and get through part three next time.”

From Literature

In West Palm Beach, Fla., home buyers who paid less than list price on their home last year got an average of 11% knocked off — the highest among the biggest 50 metros in America.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• dispatch
• dispose of
• eliminate
• snuff out
• whack