knock up

British  

verb

1. Also: knock together.  informal to assemble quickly; improvise

   to knock up a set of shelves

2. informal to waken; rouse

   to knock someone up early

3. slang to make pregnant

4. informal to exhaust

   the heavy work knocked him up

5. cricket to score (runs)

6. (intr) tennis squash badminton to practise or hit the ball about informally, esp before a match

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noun

1. a practice session at tennis, squash, or a similar game

knock up Idioms  

1. Make pregnant, as in The young girl said she was afraid of getting knocked up . [ Slang ; early 1800s]

2. Injure or damage, as in This coffee table got all knocked up in the moving van .

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Example Sentences

"Almost anyone can knock up a batch of scones, or fairy cakes, or a decent Victoria sponge, or even a Christmas cake without too much effort," Cloake said.

From Salon • Dec. 10, 2022

You can preorder the 40mm configuration for $299.99, or the 44mm model for $329.99, and AT&T will knock up to $200 off if you trade in an eligible device.

From The Verge • Aug. 11, 2021

Officials express confidence China can weather the latest trouble but forecasters say it could knock up to 1 percentage point off this year’s growth, which might fall to as low as 5.2%.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 4, 2020

Officials express confidence China can weather the latest trouble but forecasters say it could knock up to 1 percentage point off this year’s growth, which might fall to as low as 5.2%.

From Washington Times • Feb. 4, 2020

We may knock up against each other again or we may not; it’s a ram world, and not a very big one either.

From The Luck of Gerard Ridgeley by Mitford, Bertram