knock back

British  

verb

1. informal to drink, esp quickly

2. informal to cost

3. slang to reject or refuse

   you cannot possibly knock back such an offer

4. slang to come as an unpleasant surprise to; disconcert

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noun

1. slang a refusal or rejection

2. slang:prison failure to obtain parole

knock back Idioms  

1. Also, knock it back. Gulp down an alcoholic beverage, as in He knocked back glass after glass of wine, or I hear you've been knocking it back a bit. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

And Byrne has already drawn up his game plan for whether he’ll be sipping wine over a prix fixe menu or knocking back beers in front of the television.

From The Wall Street Journal

He also appeared to knock back a suggestion floated by the EU's defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius earlier this month for a possible European defence force that could replace US troops on the continent.

From Barron's

Former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson labelled them "arrogant", which Stokes was right to knock back.

From BBC

She said some people who they had helped recently had been "managing fine" but had been knocked back by things like relatives being in hospital.

From BBC

The deflation of a leg stump knocked back with the clock barely beyond midnight.

From BBC

Related Words

• carouse
• gobble
• imbibe
• quaff
• slosh
• swig
• swill