knock

plural knocks

1. countableuncountableAn abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.

   It came to me, like a knock on the door / Erasing all that had gone before / Broken wings can be mended / But this love of ours, we've got to defend it

   1976, Ashford & Simpson, “It Came To Me”, in Come As You Are

2. countableuncountableA sharp impact.

   He took a knock on the head.

3. countablefigurativelyinformaluncountableA criticism.

   Since forming in 2007 Mumford & Sons have hard-toured their way to a vast market for throaty folk that's strong on banjo and bass drum. They have released two enormous albums. But, wow, do they take some knocks back home.

   2012 November 15, Tom Lamont, “How Mumford & Sons became the biggest band in the world”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2022

4. countablefigurativelyinformaluncountableA blow or setback.

   "Come on!" cried Mr. Beaver, who was almost dancing with delight. "Come and see! This is a nasty knock for the Witch! It looks as if her power was already crumbling."

   1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

5. uncountableautomotivePreignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition; also, the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.
6. countableslanguncountableball gamesA batsman's innings.

   He had a good knock and scored well.

7. countableuncountableball gamesA ball hit into play, especially one that becomes a hit.

   He played a slow but sure knock of 35.

8. uncountablecyclingSynonym of hunger knock.

   Synonyms: hunger knock

present singular third person knocks · participle present knocking · participle past knocked · past knocked

1. intransitiveTo rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.

   Knock on the door and find out if they’re home.

   1 more example

   Then ſaid Evangeliſt, Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto: ſo ſhalt thou ſee the Gate; at which, when thou knockeſt, it ſhall be told thee what thou ſhalt do.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 3

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

   Master, knock the door hard.

   c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

3. colloquialtransitiveTo criticize verbally; to denigrate; to undervalue.

   Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

   5 more examples

   And my friend, the reporter, could see nothing funny in this! Sent out on an assignment to write up a roaring, hilarious, brilliant joshing story of—but I will not knock a brother—let us go on with the story.

   1910, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “The Thing’s the Play”, in Strictly Business: More Stories of the Four Million, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC

   A Judge must be respected, / A Judge you mustn't knock / Or else you'll be detected / And shoved into the dock.

   1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 148

   “And what do you care when some folks start knocking you? It’s a sign you getting some place.”

   1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books, published 2014, page 386

   The pious have sometimes knocked the day [Thanksgiving] for its laughter, its late sleeping, its overeating.

   1980 November 27, “Inclusive”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   If you try to knock me, you'll get mocked / I'll stir-fry you in my wok

   1998, “Intergalactic”, performed by Beastie Boys

4. transitiveball gamesTo kick a ball towards another player; to pass.
5. transitiveball gamesTo hit a ball into play.

   Despite enjoying more than their fair share of possession the visitors did not look like creating anything, with their lack of a killer ball painfully obvious as they harmlessly knocked the ball around outside the home side's box without ever looking like they would hurt them.

   2011 January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 – 1 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport

6. UKdatedslangtransitiveTo impress forcibly or strongly; to astonish; to move to admiration or applause.
7. ambitransitivedatedTo bump or impact.

   I accidentally knocked my drink off the bar.

   2 more examples

   I knocked against the table and bruised my leg.

   "The Silver Shoes," said the Good Witch, "have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go."

   1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC

8. slangtransitiveTo have sex with.

   Synonyms: knock off, Formal terms, bed, coit, coitize, dight, enjoy, feague

9. slangtransitiveTo prosecute under the law; to arrest, imprison, etc.

   The cops had busted us for selling hot designer bags up on Utica Avenue for some cat who figured we was too young to get knocked if we got caught, but two fat white po-pos said fuck how young we was, and threw us in a cell for damn near three days until they could contact Noojie to come get us out.

   2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 134

10. intransitiverummycard gamesTo end play by declaring one's hand to have under a certain amount of deadwood.

1. A suburb and ward in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
2. A townland in Drumcliff civil parish, County Clare, Ireland.
3. A town and civil parish of County Mayo, Ireland, location of the Knock Shrine.
4. A settlement in Moray council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NJ5552).
5. A village on the Isle of Lewis, Western Isles council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NB4931).
6. A village in Long Marton parish, Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England, previously in Eden district (OS grid ref NY6827).
7. A surname.