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. (colonial).—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, I. 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. T. 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?