verb
knocks; knocked; knocking
[no obj] :to hit something (such as a door) with the knuckles of your hand or with a hard object (such as a knocker) in order to get people's attention
usually + on
always followed by an adverb, adjective, or preposition [+ obj] :to hit (something or someone) in a forceful way
always followed by an adverb or preposition :to touch or hit someone or something in a way that is not planned or intended [no obj]
[+ obj] :to make (something, such as a hole) by hitting something
[+ obj] informal :to criticize (someone or something)
[no obj] :to produce a repeated loud noise
heart is knocking
informal
If your heart is knocking it is beating very hard, usually because you are nervous or excited.
knees are knocking
informal
If your knees are knocking they are shaking because you are nervous or afraid.
knock around
also Brit knock about
[phrasal verb] informal
a knock around/about (a place) or knock around/about :to spend time in (a place) without having a goal or purpose :to wander around (a place)
b knock around/about with (someone) Brit :to spend time with (another person)
to be considered or discussed in an informal way over a period of time
b knock around (something) or knock (something) around :to consider or talk about (ideas, plans, etc.) in an informal way
knock (someone) around/about :to beat or hit (someone) badly or repeatedly
chiefly Brit :to be lying somewhere within a general area or place
knock back
informal
knock (something) back or knock back (something) :to drink or swallow (an alcoholic drink) quickly
knock (someone) back :to cost (someone) a lot of money
knock down
[phrasal verb]
knock (someone or something) down or knock down (someone or something)
to cause (someone or something) to fall to the ground
b Brit :to hit and injure or kill (a person or animal) with a vehicle
informal
a knock (something) down or knock down (something) :to reduce or lower (a price, an amount, etc.)
b knock (someone) down :to cause or persuade (someone) to reduce a price
knock down (an amount of money) US informal :to receive (an amount of money) as income or salary
knock down (a shot) or knock (a shot) down basketball :to succeed in making (a shot) especially from a long distance
knock (something) down or knock down (something) chiefly US informal :to say no to (an idea, plan, proposal, etc.) :reject
knock (something) down or knock down (something) US :to take (something) apart
knock heads
US informal
to argue or disagree
to use angry or forceful methods to control or punish people
knock in
[phrasal verb]
knock (a run or runner) in or knock in (a run or runner) baseball :to cause (a run or runner) to score
knock off
[phrasal verb] informal
knock off or knock (something) off or knock off (something) :to stop doing something (such as work)
knock (something) off or knock off (something)
to do or make (something) very quickly
to take (an amount) away from something
c US :to steal money or things from (a bank or store)
d chiefly Brit :to steal (something)
e US :to make a cheaper copy of (something)
knock (someone) off or knock off (someone)
to kill (someone)
b US :to defeat (someone)
knock on wood
knock out
[phrasal verb]
knock (someone or something) out or knock out (someone or something)
to make (a person or animal) unconscious
b boxing :to defeat (an opponent) with a punch that knocks the opponent down for a certain amount of time
to defeat (an opponent) in a competition so that the opponent cannot continue
d baseball :to cause (a pitcher) to be removed from the game by getting many hits
knock (something) out or knock out (something)
to cause (something) to stop working
to produce (something) very quickly
knock (yourself) out informal
to make (yourself) very tired by doing work
b US - used to tell someone to go ahead and do something
knock (someone) out informal :to make a very strong and good impression on (someone)
knock over
[phrasal verb]
knock (someone or something) over or knock over (someone or something)
to cause (someone or something) to fall to the ground
b Brit :to hit and injure or kill (a person or animal) with a vehicle
knock (someone) over or knock over (someone) informal :to greatly surprise or shock (someone)
knock (something) over or knock over (something) US informal
to steal money or things from (a bank or store)
to steal (something)
knock (someone) cold
to cause (someone) to become unconscious
knock (someone) dead
informal :to make a very strong and good impression on (someone)
knock (someone) for a loop
knock (someone) for six
knock someone's head/block off
informal :to hit someone very hard
knock (someone) sideways
Brit :to upset, confuse, or shock (someone) very much
knock some sense into
knock (something) on the head
Brit informal :to cause the end or failure of (something)
knock spots off
knock the (living) daylights out of
knock the stuffing out of
knock together
[phrasal verb]
knock (something) together or knock together (something) :to make or build (something) in a quick or careless way
knock up
[phrasal verb]
knock (someone) up or knock up (someone) informal
a chiefly US impolite :to make (someone) pregnant
b Brit :to wake (someone) by knocking on a door
knock (something) up or knock up (something) Brit :to make or produce (something) quickly
knock your socks off
noun
plural knocks
[count] a hard, sharp hit
the sound made by a hard hit
[count] informal :an experience that makes you less confident or successful for a period of time :a difficult or painful experience
[count] informal :a critical or negative comment
a loud noise produced by an engine when it is not working properly [count]
hard knocks
difficult or painful experiences that people have in their lives or careers