Page 250 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
P. 250
knock the props out from under someone
knockŁitŁoff to sðopŁsomething;Łto cease kàock someone ort something around and
sàmething. (Slang.) ShuŁ up, you guys. kàock someone or something about to mis-
Knock it off! Knock it off. I’ve heard treat someone orŁsomethingŁphysically.
enough of your music. They knocked my baggage around on the
flight to Mexico. The tough guys
knockŁoffŁwłrk to quit workŁ(forŁthe day)¨ knocked me around a lttle. They
(Infàrmal.) It’s Łime to knock off work. knocked my brother about a bt aloo.
It’s too early to knock off work.
kàock someone outŁ (cold) 1. to knàck
kàock one offŁ one’ feet Go to sweep one sàmeone unconscious.Ł(Infàrmal.) The
off one’s feet. blow knocked the boxer out cold. The at-
kàock oneself outŁ(to do something) to gà to tacker knocked the old man out cold. 2. to
aŁgreat deal of tràuble to do sàmething. overwhelm somone. ( Someone includes
(Infàrmal.ŁAs if one hadŁworkedŁoneself oneself.ŁSee also knock oneself out (to dØ
into unconsciousness.) I knocked my- something).) The bad news really knocked
self out to prepare this meal for you, and me out. Her story was great. It just
you won’t evłn taste it! I don’t know wðy knocked me out cold!
I knock myself out to do these things for kàock someone overŁ withŁ a feather to
you. You are not at all appreciative. leave someone sðunnedŁor surprisedŁby
knockŁon włod <aŁphrase saidŁto cancel somethingŁextraàrdinary.Ł(Folksy.) I
out imaginaryŁbadŁluck.>b(The same as was so surprised you could have knocked
the British English “touch wood.”) My me over with a feather. When she heard
stereo has never givłn me any trouble— the news, you could have knocked her over
knock on wood. We plan to be in FloridØ with a feather.
by tomorrow evłning—knock on wood.
kàock someone’ block off to strike som-
knockŁ some heads together to scold one hard,ŁespeciallyŁinŁthe head.Ł(Slang.
some people; to get some people to do The block is the head.) If you touch mł
what theyŁ are supposedŁ to be dàing. again, I’ll knock your block off. John
(Also literal.ŁSlang.) If you kids don’t punched Bob so hard that he almost
quiet down and go to sleep, I’m going to knocked his block off.
come in your room and knock some heado kàock something byck Go to knock something
togłther. The governmłnt is in a mess. down.
We need to go to Washington and knock
some heads together. kàock something dłwn and kàock something
byck to drink dàwnŁaŁdrink of sàme-
kàock someone dead to put onŁaŁsðunning thing, especiallyŁ somethingŁ alcoholic.
prfàrmance orŁdisplayŁforŁsàmeone.Ł(In- (Also literal.ŁSlang.) I don’t see how he
formal.Ł Someone isŁoftenŁreplacedŁby ’ em can knock that stuff down. T John knocked
from them.) This band is going to do back two błers in ten mnutes.
great tonight. We’re going to knock them
dead. “See how your sister is all dressed kàock something off to finish sàmething, es-
up!” said Bill. “She’s going to knock ’em peciallyŁinŁhaste orŁcarelessly.Ł(Also lit-
dead.” eral.ŁSlang.) I knocked it off with the
help of Bob. T I knocked off the last chap-
kàock someone dłwn (to size) Go to beat ter of my book in four hours.
someone down (to size).
knockŁtheŁprops outŁfrom underŁ someone
kàock someone fłrŁa loop Go to throw some- to desðràyŁsomeone’sŁemotional,Łfinan-
one for a loop. cial,Łor moralŁunderpinnings;Łto desðrày
sàmeone’sŁconfidence.Ł When you told
kàock someone off Go to bump someone off.
Sally that she was due to be fired, you
kàock someone ort something about Go to really knocked the props out from undłr
knock someone or something around. her. I don’t want to knock the props out
235