knocking

7 definitions • 12 examples

present participle of

to repeatedly hit something, producing a noise:

knock on She knocked on the window to attract his attention.

Our neighbours knock on the wall if they think we're making too much noise.

knock at There's someone knocking at the door.

Please knock before entering.

If an engine is knocking, it is producing a repeated high sound either because the fuel is not burning correctly or because a small part is damaged and is therefore allowing another part to move in ways that it should not.

If something such as a pipe knocks, it makes a repeated high sound.

to hit, especially forcefully, and cause to move or fall:

knock something off something He accidentally knocked the vase off the table.

knock something against something She knocked her head against the wall as she fell.

[ + obj + adj ] Some thug knocked him unconscious.

knock someone/yourself unconscious She was in a car accident that briefly knocked her unconscious.

knock someone/yourself senseless He stood on a rake and knocked himself senseless.

knock a hole in She took a hammer and knocked a hole in the wall.

If you knock one room into another room, or knock through a room, you remove the wall between one room and the next so that they form one room:

We're planning to knock the kitchen into the dining room to make one large eating space.

to criticize, especially unfairly:

Don't knock him - he's doing his best.