(knocks, knocking, knocked)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you knock on something such as a door or window, you hit it, usually several times, to attract someone's attention.
She went directly to Simon's apartment and knocked on the door...
He knocked before going in.
VERB: V on/at n, V
•
Knock is also a noun.
They heard a knock at the front door.
N-COUNT
• knocking
They were wakened by a loud knocking at the door.
N-SING: also no det
2.
If you knock something, you touch or hit it roughly, especially so that it falls or moves.
She accidentally knocked the tea tin off the shelf...
Isabel rose so abruptly that she knocked down her chair...
VERB: V n prep, V n with adv
•
Knock is also a noun.
The bags have tough exterior materials to protect against knocks, rain and dust.
N-COUNT
3.
If someone knocks two rooms or buildings into one, or knocks them together, they make them form one room or building by removing a wall.
They decided to knock the two rooms into one...
The spacious kitchen was achieved by knocking together three small rooms.
VERB: V pl-n into n, V pl-n with together
4.
To knock someone into a particular position or condition means to hit them very hard so that they fall over or become unconscious.
The third wave was so strong it knocked me backwards...
Someone had knocked him unconscious.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n adj
5.
To knock a particular quality or characteristic out of someone means to make them lose it.
The stories of his links with the actress had knocked the fun out of him...
Those people hurt me and knocked my confidence.
VERB: no cont, V n out of n, V n
6.
If you knock something or someone, you criticize them and say unpleasant things about them. (INFORMAL)
I'm not knocking them: if they want to do it, it's up to them...
VERB: V n
7.
If someone receives a knock, they have an unpleasant experience which prevents them from achieving something or which causes them to change their attitudes or plans.
What they said was a real knock to my self-confidence...
= blow
N-COUNT
8.
to
knock something
on the head: see
head
to
knock someone or something
into shape: see
shape