Knock Meaning
/nɒk/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.
nounA sharp impact.
Sentence Examples
Could you knock down the price if I buy two?
He made for the door to answer the knock.
There was a knock at the door.
CEFR Practice Quiz
To signal your arrival politely, you must ____ the door before entering.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a loud ____ at the front door, and when I opened it, there was a delivery man waiting there.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian, ġecnocian, ġecnucian, cnucian (“to knock, pound on, beat”), from Proto-West Germanic *knokōn, from Proto-Germanic *knukōną (“to knock”), a suffixed form of *knu-, *knew- (“to pound on, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnew-, *gen- (“to squeeze, pinch, kink, ball up, concentrate”). The English word is cognate with Middle High German knochen (“to hit”), Old English cnuian, cnuwian (“to pound, knock”), Old Norse knoka (compare Danish knuge (“to squeeze”), Swedish knocka (“to hug”)). More at knuckle.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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"
— 1976, Ashford & Simpson, “It Came To Me”, in Come As You Are:
"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."
— 2012 November 15, Tom Lamont, The Daily Telegraph:
""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.""
— 1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
"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."
— 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 3:
"Master, knock the door hard."
— c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
To signal your arrival politely, you must ____ the door before entering.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
There was a loud ____ at the front door, and when I opened it, there was a delivery man waiting there.