2. (colloquial).—To achieve; to accomplish.
1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. With only 29 to win, White at his next attempt knocked up the necessary item.
3. (colloquial).—To put together hastily, as by nailing.
1852. Dickens, Bleak House, xx. Knocking up apologies for shelves.
4. (colloquial).—1. To exhaust or tire.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Clinker, L. 62. In passing the sands without a guide, his horse had knocked up; and he himself must have perished, if he had not been providentially relieved by a return post-chaise.
1814. Miss Austen, Mansfield Park, vii. If Fanny would be more regular in her exercise, she would not be knocked up so soon.
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, xvii. p. 187. 'I am quite knocked up. Dead beat, Mark.'
1867. All the Year Round, 13 July, 59. You had better go by train, and not run the risk of knocking yourself up again.
Knocked up, phr. (American).—Pregnant.
To get the knock, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To drink; to get screwed (q.v.).
2. (colloquial).—To be discharged; to get the sack or bag (q.v).
To take the knock, verb. phr. (turf). To lose more to the bookmakers than one can pay; to be dead broke (q.v.).
1890. Globe, 21 April, p. 6, col. 1. Many a broken backer of horses who has taken, what is known in the language of the turf, as the knock over the many fiascoes associated with this particular horse, etc.
To be knocked off one's pins, verb. phr. (common).—To be flabbergasted (q.v.).
1880. A. Trollope, The Duke's Children, ch. xlvii. He confessed to himself that he was completely bowled over,—knocked off his pins!
That knocks me, phr. (common).—That confounds, or is too much for me.
To be knocked into the middle of next week, verb. phr. (common).—To be astounded; to get badly beaten; 'to be knocked into a Cocked hat' (q.v.).
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii. 4. Up comes these young sparks, and gave me such a maulagaran, that they knock'd me into the middle of next week—beside tipping me this here black eye—only see how red it is!
1837. Dickens, p. 334 [ed. 1857]. If Mr. Namby would have the goodness to put his hat on again, he would knock it into the later end of next week.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race etc., p. 105. The next moment he was knocked into the middle of the next three weeks!
b. 1852. Traits of Amer. Humour, p. 50. Arch would fetch him er side wipe on the head, and knock him into the middle of next week.
Knockabout, subs. (theatrical).—An
actor of violent and noisy
pantomime: a special genre.
1891. Sportsman, Ap. 1. The Armstrongs maintain their position as two of the best knockabout artistes.
Knock-about man, subs. (Australian).—A
Jack-of-all-trades
(q.v.); a handy man.
1881. A. C. Grant, Bush Life, i. 80. Knockabout men: that is men who are willing to undertake any work.
