knock off

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

noun

1. informal

   1. an illegal imitation of a well-known product

   2. ( as modifier )

      knockoff watches

Idioms and Phrases

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 .

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.

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]

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

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]

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 .

Example Sentences

Up to £500m could be knocked off the total under plans that regulator Ofgem wants to take effect early next year.

Read more on BBC

The pipe is insulated, which knocks off up to 40 degrees of temperature down the hole.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The suspect, who has not yet been named by authorities, allegedly led police on a high-speed chase and was deliberately knocked off of his motorcycle by another deputy on the 210 Freeway in Upland.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

His Fresno State Bulldogs went on the road and beat No. 18 Air Force on that October day in 1997, knocking off what had been the only 7-0 team in major college football.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Early in their relationship, he even floated the idea of starting a clothing line together, just to “knock off her closet.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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