Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
knock - 11 dictionary results
Cheap Knock Hotels
 Compare Hotels In Knock. Find The Cheapest Hotels Online.
 CheapEurope.com/Knock

knock

  [nok]
Use knock in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to strike a sounding blow with the fist, knuckles, or anything hard, esp. on a door, window, or the like, as in seeking admittance, calling attention, or giving a signal: to knock on the door before entering.
2. to strike in collision; bump: He knocked into a table.
3. to make a pounding noise: The engine of our car is knocking badly.
4. Informal. to engage in trivial or carping criticism; find fault.
5. Cards. to end a game, as in gin rummy, by laying down a hand in which those cards not included in sets total less than a specific amount.
–verb (used with object)
6. to give a sounding or forcible blow to; hit; strike; beat.
7. to drive, force, or render by a blow or blows: to knock a man senseless.
8. to make by striking a blow or blows: to knock a hole in the wall.
9. to strike (a thing) against something else.
10. Informal. to criticize, esp. in a carping manner: He's always knocking everything.
11. British Slang. to astound; impress greatly.
–noun
12. an act or instance of knocking.
13. the sound of knocking, esp. a rap, as at a door.
14. a blow or thump.
15. Informal. an adverse criticism.
16. the noise resulting from faulty combustion or from incorrect functioning of some part of an internal-combustion engine.
17. Cricket. an innings.
18. British Slang.
a. one of a combination of dealers who bid together, rather than against each other, at an auction, and later resell the purchases among themselves.
b. an auction at which this is done.
c. the sale of merchandise recently obtained by a dealer at an auction.
—Verb phrases
19. knock around or about, Informal.
a. to wander aimlessly or idly; loaf.
b. to mistreat (someone), esp. physically.
c. to jar; shake up.
20. knock back, Slang. to drink (a beverage), esp. quickly and heartily: He knocked back two shots of vodka.
21. knock down,
a. to sell at auction by a blow of the hammer or to a bidder.
b. to take apart or disassemble, as for facility in handling, storing, shipping, etc.
c. Slang. to receive, as a salary or a scholastic grade; earn: He knocks down 30 grand a year.
d. Informal. to lower the price of; reduce: to knock down end-of-season leftovers.
e. Slang. to embezzle or steal (money).
f. to cause (a sailing vessel) to heel, as by a gust of wind, to such a degree that it cannot right itself.
22. knock off,
a. Informal. to cease activity, esp. work: to knock off at five every day.
b. to stop doing something; quit: Knock it off or you'll get into a mess.
c. Slang. to dispose of; finish.
d. Slang. to murder; kill.
e. Slang. to die.
f. Slang. to get rid of; reduce.
g. Slang. to disable or defeat.
h. Slang. to commit a robbery at; steal from: The gang knocked off a gas station.
i. Nautical Slang. to blow the head (of a sailing vessel) off the wind.
j. to imitate, copy, or plagiarize: to knock off designer dresses in cheap materials.
23. knock out,
a. to defeat (an opponent) in a boxing match by striking such a blow that the opponent is unable to rise within the specified time.
b. to render (a person) unconscious: Those sleeping pills knocked me out for ten hours.
c. to make tired or exhausted: Christmas shopping always knocks me out.
d. Informal. to produce quickly, hurriedly, or with ease: He knocks out two poems a day.
e. to damage or destroy: The explosion knocked out the power for several hours.
f. knock (def. 28).
24. knock over,
a. to strike (someone or something) from an erect to a prone position: to knock over a lamp.
b. to distress; overcome: When the announcement came we were completely knocked over.
c. Slang. to rob, burglarize, or hijack: He knocked over five banks.
25. knock together, to make or construct in a hurry or with little attention to detail: He knocked together a couple of tables.
26. knock up,
a. Slang. to make pregnant.
b. to exhaust; weary; tire.
c. to damage; mar: The children knocked up the new table.
d. to injure; wound: He was afraid to come home from school all knocked up again.
e. British. to wake up; rouse; call: He knocked us up before dawn.
—Idioms
27. have it knocked, Slang. to be assured of success: With a government job, he thought he had it knocked.
28. knock out of the box, Baseball. to cause a pitcher to be removed from the box because the pitcher has permitted too many hits to be made. Also, knock out.
29. knock the or one's socks off, Informal. to have an overwhelming effect on: The song knocked the socks off the audience.
Origin:
bef. 1000; 1890–95 for def. 4; ME knokken, knoken (v.), OE cnocian, cnucian; c. ON knoka to thump, knock

Related forms:
knockless, adjective

Synonyms:
1. See strike.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To knock
knock   (nŏk)   
v.   knocked, knock·ing, knocks

v.   tr.
  1. To strike with a hard blow.
  2. To affect in a specified way by striking hard: knocked the mugger senseless.
  3. To cause to collide: I knocked my head on a low beam.
  4. To produce by hitting or striking: knocked a hole in the wall.
  5. To instill with or as if with blows: We tried to knock some sense into his head.
  6. Slang To find fault with; criticize: Don't knock the food; it's free.
v.   intr.
  1. To strike a sharp audible blow or series of blows, as on a door.
  2. To collide with something: knocked into the table.
  3. To make a pounding or clanking noise: The car engine is knocking.
n.  
  1. An instance of striking or colliding; a blow.
  2. The sound of a sharp tap on a hard surface; a rap.
  3. A pounding or clanking noise made by an engine, often as a result of faulty fuel combustion. Also called ping1.
  4. Slang A cutting, often petty criticism.
  5. To be rough or brutal with; maltreat.
  6. To wander from place to place: knocking around Europe.
  7. To discuss or consider: met to knock around some ideas.
  8. To bring to the ground with a blow; topple.
  9. To disassemble into parts, as for storage or shipping.
  10. To declare sold at an auction, as by striking a blow with a gavel.
  11. Informal To reduce, as in price: knocked each radio down 20 percent.
  12. Slang To receive as wages; earn: knocks down $50 an hour.
  13. Informal
    1. To take a break or rest from; stop: knocked off work at noon.
    2. To cease work: It's after five; let's knock off.
  14. Informal To complete, accomplish, or dispose of hastily or easily; finish: That author knocks off a book a year.
  15. Informal To get rid of; eliminate: knocked off 12 pounds in a month.
  16. Slang To kill or overcome.
  17. Slang To hold up or rob: knocked off a bank.
  18. Informal To copy or imitate, especially without permission: knocking off someone else's ideas.
  19. To render unconscious.
  20. Sports To defeat (a boxing opponent) by a knockout.
  21. To render useless or inoperative: The storm knocked out the phones.
  22. Informal To exert or exhaust (oneself or another) to the utmost: knocked herself out to be ready on time.
  23. Informal To produce in abundance: The workers knocked out 500 parts in one hour.
  24. To inactivate or remove (a gene) by genetic engineering.
  25. Slang To make pregnant.
  26. Chiefly British To wake up or summon, as by knocking at the door.
  27. Chiefly British To wear out; exhaust.
Phrasal Verb(s):
knock around/about Informal
  1. To be rough or brutal with; maltreat.
  2. To wander from place to place: knocking around Europe.
  3. To discuss or consider: met to knock around some ideas.
knock back Informal To gulp (an alcoholic drink).
knock down
  1. To bring to the ground with a blow; topple.
  2. To disassemble into parts, as for storage or shipping.
  3. To declare sold at an auction, as by striking a blow with a gavel.
  4. Informal To reduce, as in price: knocked each radio down 20 percent.
  5. Slang To receive as wages; earn: knocks down $50 an hour.
knock off
  1. Informal
    1. To take a break or rest from; stop: knocked off work at noon.
    2. To cease work: It's after five; let's knock off.
  2. Informal To complete, accomplish, or dispose of hastily or easily; finish: That author knocks off a book a year.
  3. Informal To get rid of; eliminate: knocked off 12 pounds in a month.
  4. Slang To kill or overcome.
  5. Slang To hold up or rob: knocked off a bank.
  6. Informal To copy or imitate, especially without permission: knocking off someone else's ideas.
knock out
  1. To render unconscious.
  2. Sports To defeat (a boxing opponent) by a knockout.
  3. To render useless or inoperative: The storm knocked out the phones.
  4. Informal To exert or exhaust (oneself or another) to the utmost: knocked herself out to be ready on time.
  5. Informal To produce in abundance: The workers knocked out 500 parts in one hour.
  6. To inactivate or remove (a gene) by genetic engineering.
knock togetherTo make or assemble quickly or carelessly.
knock up
  1. Slang To make pregnant.
  2. Chiefly British To wake up or summon, as by knocking at the door.
  3. Chiefly British To wear out; exhaust.

Idiom(s):
have it knocked Slang To be certain of success: "He knew he had it knocked after he saw a rough cut of Chinatown" (Time).

Idiom(s):
knock coldTo render unconscious; knock out.

Idiom(s):
knock dead
  1. To kill with a blow.
  2. Slang To affect strongly and positively: a performance that knocked the audience dead.

Idiom(s):
knock it off Slang Quit it. Often used in the imperative: Knock it off! I'm trying to sleep.

Idiom(s):
knock (oneself) outTo make a great effort; exhaust oneself.

Idiom(s):
knock out of the box Baseball To force the removal of (an opposing pitcher) by heavy hitting.

Idiom(s):
knock the/someone's socks off Slang To overwhelm or amaze.

[Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Knock

Knock\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Knocked; p. pr. & vb. n. Knocking.] [OE. knoken, AS. cnocian, cnucian; prob. of imitative origin; cf. Sw. knacka.Cf. Knack.]

1. To drive or be driven against something; to strike against something; to clash; as, one heavy body knocks against another. --Bacon.

2. To strike or beat with something hard or heavy; to rap; as, to knock with a club; to knock on the door.

For harbor at a thousand doors they knocked. --Dryden.

Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. --Matt. vii. 7.

To knock about, to go about, taking knocks or rough usage; to wander about; to saunter. [Colloq.] "Knocking about town." --W. Irving.

To knock up, to fail of strength; to become wearied or worn out, as with labor; to give out. "The horses were beginning to knock up under the fatigue of such severe service." --De Quincey.

To knock off, to cease, as from work; to desist.

To knock under, to yield; to submit; to acknowledge one's self conquered; -- an expression probably borrowed from the practice of knocking under the table with the knuckles, when conquered. "Colonel Esmond knocked under to his fate." --Thackeray.

Knock

Knock\ (n[o^]k), v. t. 1. To strike with something hard or heavy; to move by striking; to drive (a thing) against something; as, to knock a ball with a bat; to knock the head against a post; to knock a lamp off the table.

When heroes knock their knotty heads together. --Rowe.

2. To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.

Master, knock the door hard. --Shak.

To knock down. (a) To strike down; to fell; to prostrate by a blow or by blows; as, to knock down an assailant. (b) To assign to a bidder at an auction, by a blow or knock; to knock off.

To knock in the head, or on the head, to stun or kill by a blow upon the head; hence, to put am end to; to defeat, as a scheme or project; to frustrate; to quash. [Colloq.] -- To knock off. (a) To force off by a blow or by beating. (b) To assign to a bidder at an auction, by a blow on the counter. (c) To leave off (work, etc.). [Colloq.] -- To knock out, to force out by a blow or by blows; as, to knock out the brains.

To knock up. (a) To arouse by knocking. (b) To beat or tire out; to fatigue till unable to do more; as, the men were entirely knocked up. [Colloq.] "The day being exceedingly hot, the want of food had knocked up my followers." --Petherick. (c) (Bookbinding) To make even at the edges, or to shape into book form, as printed sheets.

Knock

Knock\, n. 1. A blow; a stroke with something hard or heavy; a jar.

2. A stroke, as on a door for admittance; a rap. " A knock at the door." --Longfellow.

A loud cry or some great knock. --Holland.

Knock off, a device in a knitting machine to remove loops from the needles.

Knock

Knock\, v. i. To practice evil speaking or fault-finding; to criticize habitually or captiously. [Vulgar Slang, U. S.]

Knock

Knock\, v. t. To impress strongly or forcibly; to astonish; to move to admiration or applause. [Slang, Eng.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : knock
Spanish: golpear, llamar,
German: klopfen,
Japanese: たたく
More Translations »

knock  (v.)
O.E. cnocian (W.Saxon cnucian), likely of imitative origin. Meaning "deprecate, put down" is from 1892. Knockoff "cheap imitation" is from 1966. Knock out "to stun by a blow for a 10-count" in boxing is short for to knock out of time; slang knockout "attractive person" is from 1892. To knock oneself out "make a great effort" is from 1936. Knock-kneed first attested 1774. Command knock it off "stop it" is first recorded 1902. Knocker "door banger" is from 1598; knockers "a woman's breasts" is from 1941. Knock up is 1663 in sense of "arouse by knocking at the door;" however it is little used in this sense in Amer.Eng., where the phrase means "get a woman pregnant" (1813), possibly ult. from knock "to copulate with" (1598; cf. slang knocking-shop "brothel," 1860).
"Knocked up in the United States, amongst females, the phrase is equivalent to being enciente, so that Englishmen often unconsciously commit themselves when amongst our Yankee cousins." [John Camden Hotten, "The Slang Dictionary," London, 1860]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

Main Entry: knock
Pronunciation: 'näk
Function: noun
1 : a sharp blow knock to the head>
2 : a sharppounding noise
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source

Knock

"Though Orientals are very jealous of their privacy, they never knock when about to enter your room, but walk in without warning or ceremony. It is nearly impossible to teach an Arab servant to knock at your door. They give warning at the outer gate either by calling or knocking. To stand and call is a very common and respectful mode. Thus Moses commanded the holder of a pledge to stand without and call to the owner to come forth (Deut. 24:10). This was to avoid the violent intrusion of cruel creditors. Peter stood knocking at the outer door (Acts 12:13, 16), and the three men sent to Joppa by Cornelius made inquiry and 'stood before the gate' (10:17, 18). The idea is that the guard over your privacy is to be placed at the entrance." Knocking is used as a sign of importunity (Matt. 7:7, 8; Luke 13:25), and of the coming of Christ (Luke 12:36; Rev. 3:20).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Cite This Source

knock

In addition to the idioms beginning with knock, also see beat (knock) into someone's head; beat (knock) the living daylights out of; (knock) down to size; (knock) off someone's feet; school of hard knocks.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see knock on Thesaurus | Reference
Cheap Knock Hotels
 Compare Hotels In Knock. Find The Cheapest Hotels Online.
 CheapEurope.com/Knock