KNOCK

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does knock mean? 

• KNOCK (noun)
  The noun KNOCK has 5 senses:

1. the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)

2. negative criticism

3. a vigorous blow

4. a bad experience

5. the act of hitting vigorously

  Familiarity information: KNOCK used as a noun is common.

• KNOCK (verb)
  The verb KNOCK has 6 senses:

1. deliver a sharp blow or push

2. rap with the knuckles

3. knock against with force or violence

4. make light, repeated taps on a surface

5. sound like a car engine that is firing too early

6. find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws

  Familiarity information: KNOCK used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• KNOCK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

knock; knocking

Context example:

the knocking grew louder

Hypernyms ("knock" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Derivation:

knock (rap with the knuckles)

knock (sound like a car engine that is firing too early)

knock (make light, repeated taps on a surface)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Negative criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

knock; roast

Hypernyms ("knock" is a kind of...):

criticism; critique (a serious examination and judgment of something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A vigorous blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

bang; bash; belt; knock; smash

Context example:

he got a bang on the head

Hypernyms ("knock" is a kind of...):

blow; bump (an impact (as from a collision))

Derivation:

knock (deliver a sharp blow or push)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A bad experience

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the school of hard knocks

Hypernyms ("knock" is a kind of...):

bad luck; misfortune (unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of hitting vigorously

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

belt; knock; rap; whack; whang

Context example:

he gave the table a whack

Hypernyms ("knock" is a kind of...):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Derivation:

knock (deliver a sharp blow or push)

• KNOCK (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Deliver a sharp blow or push

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

knock; strike hard

Context example:

He knocked the glass clear across the room

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Also:

knock out (knock unconscious or senseless)

knock over (cause to overturn from an upright or normal position)

knock down (knock down with force)

knock cold (knock unconscious or senseless)

Derivation:

knock (a vigorous blow)

knock (the act of hitting vigorously)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Rap with the knuckles

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

knock on the door

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

knap; rap (strike sharply)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

knock (the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing))

knocker (a person who knocks (as seeking to gain admittance))

knocking (the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Knock against with force or violence

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bump; knock

Context example:

My car bumped into the tree

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

collide with; hit; impinge on; run into; strike (hit against; come into sudden contact with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

knock about (strike against forcefully)

knock against (collide violently with an obstacle)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make light, repeated taps on a surface

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

knock; pink; rap; tap

Context example:

he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

knock (the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Sound like a car engine that is firing too early

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

knock; ping; pink

Context example:

The car pinked when the ignition was too far retarded

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

knock; knocking (the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing))

Sense 6

Meaning:

Find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart

Context example:

Don't knock the food--it's free

Hypernyms (to "knock" is one way to...):

comment; notice; point out; remark (make or write a comment on)

"Knock" entails doing...:

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "knock"):

censure; criminate; reprimand (rebuke formally)

blast; crucify; pillory; savage (criticize harshly or violently)

admonish; reproof; reprove (take to task)

bawl out; berate; call down; call on the carpet; chew out; chew up; chide; dress down; have words; jaw; lambast; lambaste; lecture; rag; rebuke; remonstrate; reprimand; scold; take to task; trounce (censure severely or angrily)

reprehend; deplore (express strong disapproval of)

belabor; belabour (attack verbally with harsh criticism)

come down (criticize or reprimand harshly)

denounce (speak out against)

blame; find fault; pick (harass with constant criticism)

belittle; disparage; pick at (express a negative opinion of)

nitpick (be overly critical; criticize minor details)

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe (attack in speech or writing)

harsh on (criticize harshly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Yes, we quarreled, and he knocked me down.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Finally he returned to the pawnbroker’s, and, having thumped vigorously upon the pavement with his stick two or three times, he went up to the door and knocked.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yes, of course I should have knocked.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then he knocked the ashes from his pipe, carefully refilled it, and after a thoughtful pause, lighted it again.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I knocked gently and rang as quietly as possible, for I feared to disturb Lucy or her mother, and hoped to only bring a servant to the door.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Half-stunned by the blow, Buck was knocked backward and the lash laid upon him again and again, while Spitz soundly punished the many times offending Pike.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

My hand was lifted at her door to knock, when I recollected the smallness of the island.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Lysine inhibits HSV growth by knocking out arginine.

(Lysine, NCI Thesaurus)

I knocked. ‘Who is there?’ said the old man. ‘Come in.’

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Mr. Dance told me to jump down and knock, and Dogger gave me a stirrup to descend by.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)