knock

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An 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”

2. (countable, uncountable)A sharp impact.

   “He took a knock on the head.”

3. (countable, figuratively, informal, uncountable)A 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.”

4. (countable, figuratively, informal, uncountable)A 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."”

5. (uncountable)Preignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition; also, the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.
6. (countable, slang, uncountable)A batsman's innings.

   “He had a good knock and scored well.”

7. (countable, uncountable)A ball hit into play, especially one that becomes a hit.

   “He played a slow but sure knock of 35.”

8. (uncountable)Synonym of hunger knock.

verb

1. (intransitive)To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.

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

   “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.”

2. (dated, transitive)To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.

   “Master, knock the door hard.”

3. (colloquial, transitive)To criticize verbally; to denigrate; to undervalue.

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

   “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.”

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

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

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

4. (transitive)To kick a ball towards another player; to pass.
5. (transitive)To 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.”

6. (British, dated, slang, transitive)To impress forcibly or strongly; to astonish; to move to admiration or applause.
7. (ambitransitive, dated)To bump or impact.

   “I knocked against the table and bruised my leg.”

   “I accidentally knocked my drink off the bar.”

   “"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."”

8. (slang, transitive)To have sex with.
9. (slang, transitive)To 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.”

10. (intransitive)To end play by declaring one's hand to have under a certain amount of deadwood.

name

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.