securely fastened to the roof of the coach, at his left hand. All the money received passed through his hands, and he had frequent opportunities of knocking down or appropriating a modest sum to his own use.
2. (colloquial).—To call upon; to select.
1758-65. Goldsmith, Essays, i. While the president vainly knocked down Mr. Leathersides for a song.
1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, i. 2. 1. Now, gentlemen, silence for a song. The 'squire is going to knock himself down for a song.
1789. G. Parker, Variegated Characters. He was knocked down for the crap the last sessions. He went off at the fall of the leaf at Tuck'em Fair.
1866. C. Reade, Griffith Gaunt, x. They knocked him down for a song; and he sang a rather Anacreontic one very melodiously.
To knock down for a song etc., verb. phr. (colloquial).—To sell under intrinsic value.
To knock down a cheque (or pile), verb. phr. (colonical).—To spend one's savings lavishly; to blew (q.v.).
1885. Finch Hatton, Advance Australia. A man with a cheque or sum of money in his possession, hands it over to the publican, and calls for drinks for himself and his friends, until the publican tells him he has drunk out his cheque.
To knock down fares, verb. phr. (American).—To pilfer fares: of conductors and guards. See knock down, sense 1.
To knock it down, verb. phr. (common).—To applaud by hammering or stamping.
To knock one down to, verb. phr. (American).—To introduce (to a person).
To knock in, verb. phr. (Oxford University).—1. To return to college after gate is closed.
1825. English Spy, 1. 155. 'Close the oak Jem,' said Horace Eglantine, 'and take care no one knocks in before we have knocked down the contents of your master's musical mélange.'
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, p. 463 [ed. 1862]. That same afternoon Father Dick, who as soon Would knock in, or 'cut chapel', as jump o'er the moon Was missing at vespers—at complines—all night! And his monks were of course in a deuce of a fright.
1853. Cuthbert Bede, Verdant Green, 1. xi. At first, too, he was on such occasions greatly alarmed at finding the gates of Brazenface closed, obliging him thereby to knock in.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, p. 458 [ed. 1864]. There's twelve striking. I must knock in. Good night. You'll be round to breakfast at nine?
2. (gaming).—To take a hand at cards; to chip in (q.v.).
To knock into fits (a cocked hat, the middle of next week etc.), verb. phr. (common).—To confound; to floor (q.v.); to punish severely. See Cocked hat, Beat and Fits.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 42. Knocks recit-ateeves into fits.
To knock (or take) it out of one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To exhaust; to empty; to punish severely.
1841. Punch, i. p. 265; col. 2. The uphill struggles . . . soon knock it all out of him.
To knock off, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To leave off work; to abandon. Fr. péter sur le mastic.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, x [ed. Nichols, 1811]. In noting of their nativities, I have wholly observed the instructions of Pitœeus, where I knock off with his death, my light ending with his life on that subject.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Knock off, to give over Trading; also to Abandon or Quit one's Post or Pretensions.
