Knock, subs. (horse-dealers').—1. A lame horse; an incurable screw (q.v.). [The horse-dealer in Jonson's Bartholemew Fair (1614), is called Knockem].
1864. London Review, 18 June, p. 643. The knock, afflicted with disease of the navicular joint, or shoulder lameness, neither of which make any outward show, is a great favourite for horse-coping purposes, as he is often a fine-looking animal.
2.—See verb.
Verb, (venery).—1. To copulate. Hence, knock, subs., (1) an act of coition, and (2) the penis (see knack); knocking-shop (or -house) = a brothel; knocking-jacket = a bed-gown; and KNOCKER, (1) = the penis, and (2) a performer (q.v.) male or female. [For possible derivation see nock, subs., and quot. (Florio), 1598]. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.
1560. Nice Wanton [Dodsley, Old Play (1874), ii]. 170. Goldlocks She must have knocks, Or else I do her wrong.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Cunnuta, a woman nocked.
1611. Barry, Ram Alley, iii. 1. Comfort her tears, and say her daughters match'd With one that has a knocker to his father.
1612. Field, Woman is a Weather-*cock, i. 2. You should be a knocker, then, by the mother's side.
1719. Durfey, Pills etc., iii. 48. Ladies, make room, behold I come, Have at your knocking jackets.
1722. Ramsay, Fables & Tales, in Wks. (1851), iii. 170. For nought delights him mair than knocking.
1823. Egan, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
2. (popular). To make an impression; to be irresistible; to Fetch (q.v.); to floor (q.v.).
1883. Referee, May 6, p. 3, col. 3. 'It's Never too Late to Mend,' with J. H. Clynds as Tom Robinson, is knocking 'em at the Pavilion.
1892. Chevalier, 'Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Rd' [Title of Song.]
To knock acock, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To 'floor'; to flabbergast (q.v.); to double up. See Cocked Hat.
To knock about (or round), verb. phr. (colloquial).—To wander here and there; to lounge. Also 'to see life'; 'to go the pace' (q.v.).
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. etc., ii. 87. I've been knocking about on the streets.
1855. W. Irving, Life of Washington, i. 423. A long course of solicitation, haunting public offices, and knocking about town, had taught him [General Gates], it was said, how to wheedle, and flatter, and accommodate himself to the humors of others.
1888. Harper's Mag., lxxvi. 349. I have been knocking about Europe long enough to learn there are certain ways of doing things.
1891. Sporting Life, 28 Mar. He was a truant of the first water, and after knocking round till sixteen years of age etc.
To knock about the bub, verb. phr. (common).—To pass round the drink. See Bub.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, 1. 212. They went away seemingly very well satisfied, leaving master and man knocking about the bub.
To knock (or let) daylight into one. See Daylight.
To knock all of a heap. See Heap.
To knock at the cobbler's door. See Cobbler's Knock.
To knock down, verb. phr. (American).—1. To appropriate; to embezzle.
1882. McCabe, New York, p. 158. In former days the driver of a stage was furnished with a cash-box, which was
