knock Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
    knocking.
    • the knocking grew louder
  2. noun negative criticism
    roast.
  3. noun a vigorous blow
    bang; belt; bash; smash.
    • the sudden knock floored him
    • he took a bash right in his face
    • he got a bang on the head
  4. noun a bad experience
    • the school of hard knocks
  5. noun the act of hitting vigorously
    whang; whack; rap; belt.
    • he gave the table a whack
  6. verb deliver a sharp blow or push :"He knocked the glass clear across the room"
    strike hard.
  7. verb rap with the knuckles
    • knock on the door
  8. verb knock against with force or violence
    bump.
    • My car bumped into the tree
  9. verb make light, repeated taps on a surface
    pink; tap; rap.
    • he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently
  10. verb sound like a car engine that is firing too early
    pink; ping.
    • the car pinged when I put in low-octane gasoline
    • The car pinked when the ignition was too far retarded
  11. verb find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws
    criticise; pick apart; criticize.
    • The paper criticized the new movie
    • Don't knock the food--it's free

WordNet

Knock intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. knoken, AS. cnocian, cnucian; prob. of imitative origin; cf. Sw. knacka.Cf. Knack.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Knocked ; present participle & verbal noun Knocking
Definitions
  1. To drive or be driven against something; to strike against something; to clash; as, one heavy body knocks against another. Bacon.
  2. To strike or beat with something hard or heavy; to rap; as, to knock with a club; to knock on the door.
    For harbor at a thousand doors they knocked. Dryden.
    Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matt. vii. 7.
Knock transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To strike with something hard or heavy; to move by striking; to drive (a thing) against something; as, to knock a ball with a bat; to knock the head against a post; to knock a lamp off the table.
    When heroes knock their knotty heads together. Rowe.
  2. To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.
    Master, knock the door hard. Shak.
    [MW10]: Knock off (a) v. i. and t. to quit (working). (b) accomplish, frequently used when the task is accomplished rapidly. (c) (Coll.) to kill; to defeat (opponents). (d) to discount, to deduct (a sum from a price). (d) rob. (also "knock over") (e) to make a knockoff of; copy, imitate.
Knock noun
Definitions
  1. A blow; a stroke with something hard or heavy; a jar.
  2. A stroke, as on a door for admittance; a rap. " A knock at the door." Longfellow.
    A loud cry or some great knock. Holland.

Webster 1913