knock
This word is used as a verb or as a noun when someone uses his or her hand to hit a surface for the purpose of gaining someone’s attention.
- I knocked on the door, but no one was at home.
- Sherri knocked on the window to let us know she was outside.
- There’s a knocking sound coming from the door.
- Someone is knocking.
- There’s a knocking sound coming from the car.
- Todd knocked over his mother’s lamp and it broke.
Pronunciation: The “k” is silent. The word “knock” begins with an “n” sound and rhymes with sock, rock, and jock.
a. knock = to bump, hit, or rap
This common verb is used when someone tries to get the attention of another person by creating a sound, usually on doors and windows.
- I knocked on the door to see if anyone was there.
- Someone is knocking on our front door.
- Zelda knocked on the door before entering the classroom.
- Please knock before you enter.
- A police officer knocked on the driver’s side window.
Use “knock” when someone hits against an object, accidentally or intentionally.
- A little boy knocked over a glass in the cafe and broke it.
- Developers are going to knock down that beautiful old hotel to build a parking lot.
- Another driver knocked into Remi’s car and caused some damage to the front end.
- Football players knock against each other as they are playing.
a. knock = to bump, hit, or rap
- Knock on the door to see if anyone is at home.
- Did you knock on the door?
- Knock once more.
- Knock, knock.
- The Twin Towers in New York were knocked down when terrorists flew airplanes into them.
b. A knock is a sound.
A knock is often a sound that is made for gaining the attention of another person.
- There was a knock on the door.
- Did you hear that knock?
- Give it a knock.
- That was a loud knock.
- The car is making a knocking sound.
- Where is that knocking sound coming from?
- Vanessa brought her car to a mechanic because there’s some kind of a knock in the engine.
b. A knock is a sound.
- There’s a knock at the door.
- Did you hear that knock?
- I heard a knocking sound. (The word “knocking” describes the noun “sound.”)
c. knock = criticize
A knock can also be a from of criticism. If you knock something, you are making comments that are critical or unkind.
- Her comments were definitely a knock on the performance.
- You shouldn’t knock other people, especially if you don’t completely understand their circumstances.
- That was clearly knock against the ideas presented.
- I don’t mean to knock your suggestion, but where will the money come from to do this?
- Don’t knock it until you have tried to it. (This is a popular expression. Don’t say something is bad unless you have direct experience with it.)
c. knock = criticize
- You can’t knock her performance. She’s quite good on the guitar.
- It’s quite easy to knock the design of this food court. How ugly!