knock (nŏk)

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[Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian.]

verb: knocked, knock·ing, knocks. 

transitive verb 

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.

intransitive verb 

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.

noun 

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.

phrasal verbs

knock around

To be rough or brutal with; maltreat.

To wander from place to place: knocking around Europe.

To discuss or consider: met to knock around some ideas.

knock back

To gulp (an alcoholic drink).

knock down

To bring to the ground with a blow; topple.

To disassemble into parts, as for storage or shipping.

To declare sold at an auction, as by striking a blow with a gavel.

Informal To reduce, as in price: knocked each radio down 20 percent.

Slang To receive as wages; earn: knocks down $50 an hour.

knock off

Informal To take a break or rest from; stop: knocked off work at noon. To cease work: It's after five; let's knock off.

Informal To complete, accomplish, or dispose of hastily or easily; finish: That author knocks off a book a year.

Informal To get rid of; eliminate: knocked off 12 pounds in a month.

Slang To kill or overcome.

Slang To hold up or rob: knocked off a bank.

Informal To copy or imitate, especially without permission: knocking off someone else's ideas.

knock out

To render unconscious.

Sports To defeat (a boxing opponent) by a knockout.

To render useless or inoperative: The storm knocked out the phones.

Informal To exert or exhaust (oneself or another) to the utmost: knocked herself out to be ready on time.

Informal To produce in abundance: The workers knocked out 500 parts in one hour.

To inactivate or remove (a gene) by genetic engineering.

knock together

To make or assemble quickly or carelessly.

knock up

Slang To make pregnant.

Chiefly British To wake up or summon, as by knocking at the door.

Chiefly British To wear out; exhaust.

idioms

have it knocked

To be certain of success: “He knew he had it knocked after he saw a rough cut of ” (Time)

knock cold

To render unconscious; knock out.

knock dead

To kill with a blow. Slang To affect strongly and positively: a performance that knocked the audience dead.

knock it off

Quit it. Often used in the imperative: Knock it off! I'm trying to sleep.

knock (oneself) out

To make a great effort; exhaust oneself.

knock out of the box

To force the removal of (an opposing pitcher) by heavy hitting.

knock the socks off

To overwhelm or amaze.