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 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.