knock back
Britishverb
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informal to drink, esp quickly
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informal to cost
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slang to reject or refuse
you cannot possibly knock back such an offer
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slang to come as an unpleasant surprise to; disconcert
noun
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slang a refusal or rejection
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slang:prison failure to obtain parole
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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 ● Jan. 26, 2026
Former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson labelled them "arrogant", which Stokes was right to knock back.
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025
On TikTok, olive oil fans knock back shots of the liquid, saying it clears their skin and helps them lose weight.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2023
Late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, the Commanders called a blitz, opting to forgo zone coverage on the back end to stay aggressive and knock back the Lions.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 19, 2022
Now it had redundant solar panels, whose frequent bursts of coordinated electricity were strong enough to knock back an elephant.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
