KNOCK ABOUT Definition & Meaning

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knock about

(intr, adverb) to wander about aimlessly
(intr, preposition) to travel about, esp as resulting in varied or exotic experience
he's knocked about the world a bit
to associate
to knock about with a gang
(tr, adverb) to treat brutally
he knocks his wife about
(tr, adverb) to consider or discuss informally
to knock an idea about

a sailing vessel, usually sloop-rigged, without a bowsprit and with a single jib

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Also, knock around.

Be rough or brutal with, maltreat, as in He was known to knock his wife about on a regular basis . [c. 1800]

Wander from place to place, as in They were knocking around Europe all summer . [ Colloquial ; c. 1830]

Discuss or consider, as in They met to knock about some new ideas . [Mid-1900s] Also see kick around .

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Examples have not been reviewed.

The ruling had the effect of knocking about $16 million off expected income from the property owners.

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But regulators turned down the request last month, knocking about 20% off Metro's share price.

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It wasn’t a truant officer at his door, though — no one had ever come knocking about that.

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There will always be twisted murderers knocking about, and Luther can't resist when they bait him.

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An asteroid minding its own business not too far from Earth is about to get knocked about by a visitor from our planet.

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