Forms: 1 cnucian, cnocian, 2 cnokien, 4 cnoke, 4–5 knoke, knokke, 4–6 knok, 4–7 knocke, 4, 6– knock. [Late OE. cnocian, beside usual WS. cnucian; cf. ON. knoka; prob. of echoic origin. The relations between the u and o forms are obscure.]
I. 1. intr. To strike with a sounding blow, as with the fist or something hard; esp. to rap upon a door or gate in order to call attention or gain admittance (const. at, † on, † upon).
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 382. He … cnucode æt ðære dura.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. vii. 7. Cnuciað and eow biþ ontyned. Ibid., Luke xii. 36. Þonne he cymð and cnucað.
10[?]. in Assmann, Angels. Homil. (Kassel), 1889. Heo … fæstlice on þære cytan duru cnocode.
c. 1160. Hatton Gosp., Matt. vii. 7. Cnokieð and eow beoð untynd. Ibid., Luke xii. 36. Þanne he cymð and cnokeð.
c. 1320. Orfeo, 363. Orpheo knocked at the gate.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 726. Quen such þer cnoken on þe bylde, Tyt schal hem men þe ȝate vnpynne.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. vii. 7. Knocke ȝe, and it shal be opnyd to ȝou.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 246. Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxxv. 72. Þare knokide he Wyth-owte þe Dure.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., V. i. 16. What’s he that knockes as he would beat downe the gate?
1608. Armin, Nest Ninn. (1842), 13. They knockt to the dresser, and the dinner went up.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 195. To knock upon the back of the Cleaving Knife.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xix. She stood before her lover’s door and knocked for admittance.
1891. E. Peacock, N. Brendon, I. 115. He knocked at the door.
fig. c. 1374. Chaucer, Compl. Mars, 84. With torch in honde of whiche the stremes briȝt On venus Chaumbre knokkide ful lyȝt.
1563. Winȝet, Four Scoir Thre Quest., To Rdr. Wks. 1888, I. 61. Sa grete is the guidnes of God to knok at the breist of man.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 8. The cry did knocke Against my very heart.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., II. 2. A sense of his agony … came knocking at my heart.
b. Without reference to the sound produced: To give a hard blow, to beat; to give blows; † ellipt. To strike upon the breast (obs.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 29092. Knock on brest wit hand.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 414. Ta now þy grymme tole to þe, & let see how þou cnokez.
1562. in Strype, Ann. Ref. (1824), I. I. xxix. 503. Divers communicants … superstitiously both kneel and knock.
1583. Babington, Commandm., ii. (1590), 87. To fall downe before a stocke and a stone, and to doo it reuerence, capping, kneeling, knocking,… and such like.
c. trans. with indefinite obj. it, To give knocks; also, with cognate obj.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. iv. 108. Let the Musicke knocke it.
1682. N. O., Boileau’s Lutrin, II. 183. He resolv’d at a Dead pinch to knock it.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxv. We have knocked double-knocks at the street-door.
1865. J. H. Newman, Gerontius, § 1. A visitant Is knocking his dire sunmons at my door.
2. trans. To give a hard blow or blows to; to hit, strike, beat, hammer; † to beat into small pieces, pound (obs.). Also with extension expressing result, as to knock to (or in) pieces, etc.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 142. ʓenim þonne þa leaf, cnuca on anum mortere. Ibid., 168. ʓenim þa wyrte ʓecnucude [MS. B. ʓecnocode]. Ibid., 382. Cnuciʓe ealle ða wyrta.
c. 1075. Indicia Monasterialia, in Techmer’s Zeitschrift, II. 125. Þonne weʓe þu þine fyst, swilce þu wyrta cnocian wille.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 397. He bygan benedicite with a bolke, and his brest knocked.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. xcvii. (Tollem. MS.). It [flax] is … knokked and bete, breyed and carfled.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2601. Kylle of hor knightes, knocke hom to dethe.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 639. Him wald he kenely on þe croune knok with his tablis.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 172 b. Some knocked other on the elbow, and said softly he lieth.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. i. 58. I haue an humor to knocke you indifferently well. Ibid. (1602), Ham., II. i. 81. His knees knocking each other.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 37. The Bar knocking in pieces all that are inflexible.
1822–34. Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), I. 424. [He] runs to open the door when it is knocked.
† b. fig. To strike with astonishment, alarm or confusion; to confound; to ‘floor.’ Obs. colloq.
1715. S. Sewall, Diary, 1 Feb. (1882), III. 37. Mr. Winthrop was so knockt that he said it could not be done.
c. To ‘strike’ forcibly, make a strong impression on; to move to admiration, ‘fetch.’ slang.
1883. Referee, 6 May, 3/3 (Farmer). ‘It’s Never too Late to Mend,’ with J. H. Clynds as Tom Robinson, is knocking ’em at the Pavilion.
1885. J. K. Jerome, On the Stage, 97. There is nothing knocks a country audience like a hornpipe.
1892. Chevalier, Song, Wot Cher! or, Knocked ’em in the Old Kent Road, in Farmer, Musa Pedestris (1896), 190.
3. To knock on († in) the head (also rarely at head): a. lit.; esp. to stun or kill by a blow on the head; often loosely, to kill in any summary way, dispatch, put to death.
c. 1537. Thersites, in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 427. I care not if the old witch were dead: It were an almsdeed to knock her in the head.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., II. 117. S. Iames … was knockt in the head like an Oxe, or Calfe, after he had been thrown down from a Pinacle of the Temple.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 99, ¶ 5. The Knight goes off,… seeks all Opportunities of being knock’d on the Head.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1756), I. 316. I had better knock the Horse o’ th’ Head, and dispatch him at once.
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Grey Dolphin. To lie snoring there when your brethren are being knocked at head.
b. fig. To put an end to, bring to nothing.
1579. W. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 327. To knocke his … mallice in the head.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., VIII. iii. (1886), 129. Witchcraft,… is knocked on the head.
1677. Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 63. Endeavour to knock all on the head, urging that it will be of great prejudice to the King.
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 186. One unlucky action knocked it all on the head.
1852. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., II. 158. We were to have gone to Germany, but that is all knocked on the head.
4. trans. To drive or bring (a thing) violently against something else; to strike against or upon something else; to bring into collision.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxxxvi. 12. Blisful he þat shal holde, and knok his smale [paruulos suos] til þe stone.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. i. 54. Ile knock his Leeke about his Pate.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 111. Buffola’s … knock Foreheads with a Force adequate to such great Engines.
b. † To knock heads with: to congregate thickly or associate closely with (obs.). To knock one’s head against: to strike with one’s head; fig. to hurt oneself by coming into collision with resisting facts or conditions; To knock head = to KOTOW.
1530. Palsgr., 599/2. I knocked my heed agaynst the poste.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., Ep. Ded. Our patrician loves, That knock heads with the herd.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. i. § 17. In danger of knocking their heads against the Stars.
1824. Byron, Juan, XV. xci. I always knock my head against some angle About the present, past, or future state.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxxiii. I hear him a-knockin’ his head again the lath and plaster now.
1876. Grant, Hist. India, I. xcii. 497/1. The ambassador who refused to ‘knock-head.’
Mod. An angular man—always knocking his head against stone walls.
5. intr. To come into violent collision with something; to strike, collide, bump, clash.
1530. Palsgr., 599/2. I knocke, or hyt agaynst a thing.
1633. T. James, Voy., 18. Our Ship beating and knocking all this while most fearefully.
1692. Bentley, Atheism, Boyle Lect. (1693), II. 19 (T.). The Atoms of the Chaos … must needs knock and interfere.
1881. Standard, 19 Dec., 6/3. Olive Branch has been assisted into Harwich very leaky, having knocked over the Knock Sand.
b. Of mechanism: To rattle on account of parts being loose and striking each other.
1869. Eng. Mech., 19 March, 579/3. There was less ‘knocking’ where a little play … had … begun.
1896. Kipling, Seven Seas, 32. They [engines] knock a wee—the crosshead-gibs are loose.
† c. To knock under board, under (the) table: to succumb in a drinking-bout; to give in, submit, yield; = knock under (15). Obs.
1691–2. Gentl. Jrnl., March, 10. He that flinches his Glass, and to Drink is not able, Let him quarrel no more, but knock under the Table.
1692. South, Serm. (1724), VI. 17. For the Government to knock under-board to the Faction.
1700. J. Asgill, Argument, 105. I … knock under table That Satan hath beguiled me to play the Fool with my self.
1703. Levellers, in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), V. 447. We will not knock under-board to the men.
d. with adv. or advb. phr.: To stir or move energetically, clumsily, and noisily, or in random fashion, about a place. (See also knock about, 7 b). colloq.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Knock, to stir or to work briskly. Ex. ‘He came knocking along the road in a great hurry.’
1839. W. E. Forster, 20 Dec., in T. W. Reid, Life, v. (1888), 134. A true hearty old Navy Captain,… who has knocked about Africa half his life.
1884. Marcus Clarke Memor. Vol., 88. I thought it advisable to ‘knock round’ in search of him.
1886. G. Allen, Maimie’s Sake, ii. Knocking up and down all over … the country.
6. trans. With extension: To drive by striking; to force or send by means of a blow (away; into, out of, off, etc. something, or into or out of some state or condition). See also 7–14. Also fig.
1610. Shaks., Temp., III. ii. 69. Ile yeeld him thee asleepe, Where thou maist knocke a naile into his head.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. 85. Knock the Fuse up to the head within one quarter of an Inch.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. iv. I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock, to hang my guns … up.
1880. Trollope, Duke’s Childr., xlvii. 272. He was completely ‘bowled over,’—‘knocked off his pins!’
b. Phr. To knock the bottom out of: (fig.) to render invalid, make of no effect, bring to nought. (Cf. ‘It won’t hold water.’) colloq.
1875. W. M‘Ilwraith, Guide to Wigtownshire, 93. This explanation knocks the bottom out of a great many theories.
1887. Ld. R. Churchill, in Times, 20 June, 8/2. We shall have knocked the bottom out of Home Rule.
† c. To ‘knock down’ at an auction: see 8 c.
1623. Fletcher & Rowley, Maid in Mill, V. i. Thy maidenhead Shall not be worth a chequin, if it were Knock’d at an out-cry.
d. To rouse or summon (a person, esp. from sleep) by knocking at his door. (Usually with extension: see also knock up, 16 f.) colloq.
1706. Baynard, in Sir J. Floyer, Hot & Cold Bath., II. (1709), 344. I have been … sometimes knock’d out of Bed, to Children just dying.
Mod. He asked to be knocked at seven o’clock.
e. In various slang or colloq. phrases, as to knock into a COCKED HAT, to knock SPOTS out of, to knock into the middle of next WEEK, etc.
II. In combination with adverbs.
7. Knock about. a. trans. To strike hither and thither by a succession of blows; hence, to treat roughly and without respect.
1876. Fergusson, Ind. & East. Archit., 198. The building … has been so knocked about and altered.
1889. Constance F. Woolson, Jupiter Lights, i. 4. Great waves began to toss her and knock her about.
b. intr. To move about, wander, or roam, in an irregular way; also to lead an irregular life. colloq.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, II. 87 (Farmer). I’ve been knocking about on the streets.
1855. Smedley, H. Coverdale, i. 3. I’ve … no dog-cart to knock about in.
1900. J. Hutchinson, Archives Surg., XI. 267. The man admits that in youth he ‘knocked about a little.’
8. Knock down. a. trans. To strike or fell to the ground with a blow or blows; fig. to overcome, vanquish, cause to succumb.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. xxxix. 110. Brynge to nouȝt folkes, þat wol haue bateiles. Knocke hem doun in þy miȝt.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. vi. 9. Knocke him downe there.
1659. D. Pell, Impr. Sea, 479. Cut down Hammoks, knock down wooden stanchions.
1787. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ode upon Ode, Wks. 1812, I. 443. I would rather be knocked down By weight of argument, than weight of Fist.
1893. Forbes-Mitchell, Remin. Gt. Mutiny, 261. Mackie, who had been knocked down by the sun the day before and had died that afternoon.
b. To drive (a stake, etc.) into the ground by blows; to fasten (a rivet) by knocking the end flat.
1657. Austen, Fruit Trees, I. 64. If the plants are in danger to be shaken by the winds, then knock down a stake close to every one.
1869. Sir E. J. Reed, Shipbuild., xvii. 329. The various modes of forming the rivet-point, or, in technical language, of ‘knocking-down’ the rivet.
c. To dispose of (an article) to a bidder at an auction sale by a knock with a hammer or mallet.
1760. C. Johnston, Chrysal (1822), III. 205. It was … knocked down to the last bidder.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., IV. i. This shall be your hammer, and now you may knock down my ancestors.
1884. Illustr. Lond. News, 20 Dec., 603/1. The first Aldine Horace, of 1501 … was knocked down for fifteen guineas.
d. To call upon, nominate (for some function, etc.); from the chairman at a dinner, etc., doing this with the knock of a hammer or mallet. colloq.
1759. Goldsm., Ess., Clubs, Wks. (Globe), 284/2. The Grand … had knocked down Mr. Spriggins for a song.
1789. G. Parker, Variegated Char. (Farmer). He was knocked down for the crap [gallows] the last sessions.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, v. 46. The call is with you, Ned,… knock some one down for a song.
e. To summon (a person) downstairs by knocking at his door. (Cf. knock up, 16 f.) rare.
1881. Athenæum, 3 Sept., 303/2. At an early hour … the farmer’s wife said to her son, ‘Thomas, go and knock your father down.’
f. To disconnect the parts of (a structure that is ‘knocked together’: see 14 c) by blows; to take to pieces. (The opposite of knock up, 16 d.)
1776. [see KNOCKED].
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 1239/2. A chair complete and box to hold a dozen knocked down.
g. To lower effectively in amount or degree. colloq.
1867. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., Ser. II. III. II. 533. A very plentiful season has knocked down prices.
1895. Times, 27 April, 12/2. When the picture leaves the exhibition, whether it would not be well to ‘knock down,’ as they say, those somewhat too brilliant tones.
h. Australian slang. To spend in drink or riot.
1869. Marcus Clarke, Peripat. Philos. (reprint), 80 (Morris). Knocked down thirteen notes, and went to bed as tight as a fly.
1884. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Melb. Memories, xiii. 99. They could earn money, and … proceeded to ‘knock down’ the same by means of … alcoholic indulgence.
1884. Marcus Clarke Memor. Vol., 135. At shearing time, when the ‘hands’ knocked down their cheques.
i. U. S. slang. To appropriate or embezzle (passengers’ fares).
1882. J. D. McCabe, New York, ix. 158–9. In former days the driver of a stage was furnished with a cash-box…. He had frequent opportunities of ‘knocking down,’ or appropriating a modest sum to his own use.
1888. Boston Jrnl., 31 Oct., 2/4. The street car conductors … have been ‘knocking down’ from $100 to $200 a day, and several have been arrested.
1892. Balestier, Average Woman, 56. He’s knocking down fares every day.
j. intr. To deal a knock or blow downwards (e.g., on the floor, to arouse a person below).
1724. R. Wodrow, Life Prof. Wodrow (1828), 166. He had given a groan, and the person in waiting knocked down. When I came up, I observed his lips quivering.
9. Knock in. a. trans. To drive or force in by blows or as by blows.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. 87. Put down a piece of Paste-board, and knock it in hard.
1891. T. Hardy, in Harper’s Mag., April, 704. They knocked in the victuals and drink till they could hold no more.
b. intr. (Univ. slang.) To knock so as to gain admission to college after the gate is closed.
1825. C. M. Westmacott, Engl. Spy, I. 155. Close the oak, Jem, and take care no one knocks in before [etc.].
1829. [H. D. Best], Pers. & Lit. Mem., 103. Mr. Langton, you knock in very often: why do you visit so much out of college?
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xli. There’s twelve striking, I must knock in.
10. Knock off. a. trans. To strike off by or as by a blow; also fig. To knock off a person’s head, to ‘beat’ or surpass him.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. iv. 199. Knocke off his Manacles.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qualities. If a parcel of Matter be knockt off from another.
1719. Young, Busiris, II. i. (1757), 35. ’Till death shall knock them [chains] off.
1862. Cornh. Mag., June, 655. I could knock his head off in Greek Iambics.
b. To cause to desist or leave off from work.
1651. Gataker, in Fuller’s Abel Rediv., Ridley (1867), I. 230. He returned … to his study, where he sat, unless suitors or some other affairs knocked him off.
1889. Times, 12 Dec., 6/2. The men were knocked off earlier.
c. intr. To desist, leave off; to cease from one’s work or occupation; slang to die.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. V., ccxliii. The Sun (who quafft French blood, to Harrie’s health) knock’s of And can noe more.
1688. Bunyan, Heavenly Footman (1886), 159. If thou do not … knock off from following any farther.
a. 1704. Lett., in T. Brown’s Wks. (1760), IV. 183. Perverse people … that would not knock off in any reasonable time, but liv’d long, on purpose to spite their relations.
1890. W. Clark Russell, Ocean Trag., III. xxix. 110. We were forced to knock off through sheer fatigue.
d. trans. To stop, discontinue, give up (work).
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxiii. 71. After we had knocked off work and cleared up decks for the night.
1884. W. Clark Russell, Jack’s Courtship, II. i. 9. I heard that you had knocked off the sea some years ago.
1885. R. Buchanan, Matt, viii. 95. So intent was he on this object, which fitted in beautifully with his natural indolence, that he at once knocked off painting for the day.
e. To dispatch, dispose of, put out of hand, accomplish; to complete or do hastily. colloq.
1817. Peacock, Melincourt, III. 68. He had … to dispose of … a christening, a marriage, and a funeral; but he would knock them off as fast as he could.
1820. J. W. Croker, Lett., in Smiles, Mem. J. Murray (1891), II. xxiii. 87. I am anxious to knock off this task whilst … it is fresh in my recollection.
1879. F. W. Robinson, Coward Consc., I. xiii. If you have any business … with me, the sooner we knock it off the better.
f. To strike off, deduct from an amount or sum.
1858. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XIX. II. 305. The saltpetre diminished the yield 5 bushels … and the salt … also knocked off 3 bushels.
1889. Jessopp, Coming of Friars, v. 244. The steward graciously knocked off seventy-five per cent.
1892. Sir W. Grantham, in Law Times, XCIV. 63/2. Most of the plaintiff’s bill was passed by the Taxing Master, and only £63 knocked off.
11. Knock on. trans. To drive on or forward by a blow (also fig.); spec. in Rugby Football: To propel (the ball) with hand or arm in the direction of the adversary’s goal; also absol.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xxi. 353. Loving Subjects … being more kindly united to their Sovereigne then those which are onely knock’d on with fear and forcing.
1660. Milton, Free Commw., Wks. (1851), 442. Shackles lock’d on by pretended Law of Subjection, more intolerable … than those which are knock’d on by illegal Injury and Violence.
1894. Daily News, 7 Sept., 5/1. If a full back ‘knocked on’ when a try was otherwise inevitable.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 12 Dec., 7/3. Hind spoiled a chance of scoring by knocking-on a pass from Jones.
12. Knock out. a. trans. To strike or dash out by a blow.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. i. 83. Many haue their giddy braynes knockt out.
1727. Gay, Beggar’s Op., I. x. (1729), 14. I shall knock your brains out if you have any.
1887. I. R., Lady’s Ranche Life in Montana, 102. Knocking the ashes out of his pipe.
† b. To stop or drown the voice of (a speaker) by making a knocking noise. Obs.
1574. in Peacock, Obs. Stat. Camb., App. p. vi. If the Father shall upon his Chyldrens Aunswer replie and make an Argument, then the Bedel shall knocke hym out.
c. (See quots., and KNOCK-OUT a. and sb.)
1876. W. Green, Life Cheap Jack, 203. The concern would … be ‘knocked out’ at once, that is resold by auction among themselves and the profit divided.
1896. Farmer, Slang, Knock-out, a man frequenting auction rooms and joining with others to buy at a nominal price. One of the gang is told off to buy for the rest…. At the end of the sale the goods are taken to a near hand public-house, where they are resold or knocked-out among the confederates.
d. fig. To drive out of the contest; to vanquish, exhaust. To knock out of time (Pugilistic), to disable an opponent so that he is unable to respond to the call of ‘Time.’
1883. Pall Mall Gaz., 16 April, 4/1 (Farmer). Foxhall … was second favourite for some time, but he has now been ‘knocked out’ to comparatively long odds.
1884. Sat. Rev., 16 Jan., 108/1. A man of weak physique is apt to be ‘knocked out of time’ by a more robust but less skilful adversary.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 20 April, 11/2. The light-weight champion ‘knocked out’ his two first opponents.
1890. W. A. Wallace, Only a Sister? 95. They call it … ‘knocked out of time,’ when a fellow doesn’t come to at once.
1894. Daily News, 26 Feb., 5/1. Two years ago Aston Villa [football club] knocked out Sunderland. Ibid. (1900), 21 April, 7/3. You have to have your horses fit, otherwise you knock them out.
e. To make roughly or hastily. (Cf. 10 e.) colloq.
1856. Dickens, Lett. (1880), I. 422. We may knock out a series of descriptions … without much trouble.
1881. T. Hardy, Laodicean, III. v. (1882), 185. I wish … you could knock out something for her before you leave town.
f. intr. (Univ. slang.) To gain exit from a college by knocking at the gate after it has been shut.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xlv. (1864), 503. ‘Hullo!’ he said, getting up: ‘time for me to knock out.’
1862. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, vii. I. 82. Five out-college men had knocked out at a quarter to three.
g. ‘To lose the scent: said of hounds in fox-hunting’ (Cent. Dict.).
13. Knock over. a. trans. To overthrow by, or as if by, a blow; to prostrate. Also fig.
1814. S. Pegge, Anecd. Eng. Lang., Suppl. Grose’s Prov. Gloss., 384. To Knock a man over, to knock him down. North.
1855. Russell, War in Crimea, xxiv. 167. The ‘Sampson’ pitched shell after shell right in among the tents, knocking them over right and left.
1857. Lady Canning, in Hare, 2 Noble Lives (1893), II. 343. Sunstroke … knocks them over quite suddenly.
1893. Selous, Trav. S. E. Africa, 69. That evening two of my Kafirs … were knocked over with fever.
b. intr. To succumb; to die. colloq. or slang.
1892. Stevenson, in Illustr. Lond. News, 9 July, 42/1. Captain Randall knocked over with some kind of a fit or stroke.
14. Knock together. a. trans. To drive or bring into collision or contact.
1398. [see KNOCKING vbl. sb. 1 b].
1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. i. 122. Let us knog our praines together to be reuenge on … the Host of the Garter.
1609. Bible (Douay), Jer. li. 20. Thou doest knocke together the vessels of warre.
b. intr. To come into collision.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 209. Two pots floting upon a pond,… with this word, If we knock together, we sink together.
a. 1699. Lady A. Halkett, Autobiog. (1875), 44. Our heads knockt together.
c. trans. To put together, or construct, hastily, rudely, as for a temporary purpose.
1874. Farrar, Christ (1894), 612. It [the Cross] would … be … knocked together in the rudest fashion.
1893. Kath. L. Bates, Eng. Relig. Drama, 226. A temporary stage has been roughly knocked together.
15. Knock under. intr. Short for knock under board, 5 c. To acknowledge oneself beaten; to give in, yield, submit, ‘knuckle under.’
1670. Merry Drollery, II. Capt. Hick, 288. He … Made the wits at the board to knock under.
1684–94. trans. Plutarch’s Mor., III. 219 (L.). He knocked under presently, and a single glass dozed him.
1782. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, 10 Nov. Is not this a triumph for me…? Pray let my daddy Crisp hear it, and knock under.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, III. i. When he heard this news … Colonel Esmond knocked under to his fate, and resolved to surrender his sword.
1887. Rider Haggard, Jess, xxvii. Our government is not going to knock under because it has suffered a few reverses.
16. Knock up. a. trans. To drive upwards, or fasten up, by knocking; spec. in Bookbinding, etc., to make even the edges of (a pile of loose sheets) by striking them on a table.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 30 Jan. Knocking up nails for my hat and cloakes.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxv. ¶ 3. Having thus Gathered one Book, he Knocks it up. Ibid., p. 382. Knock up a Letter … a Letter may be worn so low that it will not Print well…. The Workman then … beats lightly upon the foot of the Shank, till he have battered Mettle enough out of the Shank, to raise it higher against Paper.
1888. Jacobi, Printers’ Vocab., 71. Knock up, to make the edges of a heap of paper straight and square by knocking up to one edge.
b. intr. To be driven up so as to strike something. To knock up against, to come into collision with; fig. to meet with, come across, encounter.
1887. A. Birrell, Obiter Dicta, Ser. II. 264. When Montaigne was in Rome … he complained bitterly that he was always knocking up against his own countrymen.
1895. Times (weekly ed.), 27 Dec., 1034/3. One can’t remember all the people one knocks up against in one’s holiday-making.
1898. Daily News, 24 Nov., 7/2. The smack eventually knocked up high on the shore under the cliffs where she will probably become a wreck.
c. trans. To make up (hastily or off-hand), to arrange summarily.
c. 1580. Jefferie, Bugbears, I. iii. 30. We wile knocke vp this maryage.
1812. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 138. A match was knocked up betwixt Dogherty … and a man named Burn.
1852. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith (1853), 167. This gentleman, with whom Harrington … has knocked up an acquaintance.
1879. F. W. Robinson, Coward Consc., I. viii. Why didn’t they knock up a match between you and Ursula?
d. To put together hastily; = 14 c.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxiv. ¶ 10. The Balls are well Knockt up, when the Wooll is equally dispersed about all the Sides.
1812. L. Hunt, in Examiner, 11 Oct., 642/2. The carpenters that knock up our hustings.
1850. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XI. I. 271. A range of farm buildings can be roughly knocked up.
e. To get or accumulate by labor or exertion; spec. in Cricket, to run up (a score), make (so many runs) by striking the ball. colloq.
1837. Whittock, Bk. Trades (1842), 360. [He] obtains almost full employment,… and ‘knocks’ up £3 or £4 or more weekly.
1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. (Farmer). With only 29. to win, White at his next attempt knocked up the necessary item.
1891. Times, 12 Oct., 11/5. The Englishmen … knocked up 305 runs before their innings closed.
f. To arouse by knocking at the door.
1663. Pepys, Diary, 11 Sept. This morning, about two or three o’clock, knocked up in our back yard;… I found it was the constable and his watch.
1737. Pope, Hor. Epist., II. i. 161. Time was, a sober Englishman would knock His servants up, and rise by five o’clock.
1851. Thackeray, Eng. Hum., Steele (1858), 121. They knock up the surgeon.
g. To overcome or make ill with fatigue; to exhaust, tire out. (esp. in pass.)
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1740), II. 167. Where the Horse is young…, it would split him, or knock him up (as we say) if the Rider were to make his Flourishes upon his Back like a Rope-dancer.
1770. Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary, 7 Feb. Here is a lady who is not at all tired,… and here am I knocked up.
1856. T. A. Trollope, Girlhood Cath. de’ Medici, xvi. 253. He is completely knocked up from over-work.
1883. Ld. R. Gower, My Remin., II. 244. Walter was too knocked up to join those who rode to the grove.
h. intr. To become exhausted or tired out; to become unserviceable; to break down.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 12 Sept. In passing the sands without a guide, his horse had knocked up.
1849. Alb. Smith, Pottleton Leg. (repr.) 255. Every literary man, however great his success, knocks up at last.
i. trans. To break up, destroy, put an end to.
1764. Foote, Mayor of G., I. Wks. 1799, I. 173. This plaguy peace … has knock’d up all the trade of the Alley.
1776. in New York during Amer. Rev. (1861), 99. The arival of the fleet, since which almost all business in town is knocked up.
1857. De Quincey, Whiggism in Relat. to Literature, Wks. VI. 67. The establishment was knocked up, and clearly from gross defects of management.
