knock up v.
1. to waken, used in Aus. prison as v.i. (see cite 2006); thus knocker up, n., one who wakes people up [knocking on the front or bedroom door].
![]() | Wonderfull Yeare 39: In euery house griefe striking vp [...] Some frantically running to knock vp Sextons, others fear-fully sweating with Coffins. | |
![]() | Walks of Islington and Hogsdon IV ii: I will knock up this rogue Hugh at the Feathers; Hugh, Hugh, you rogue rise [...] you sleepy rogue rise. | |
![]() | Love In A Tub I ii: A Midwife was never knock’d up With more fury. | |
![]() | The world in the moon 34: [T]rundle down the Ladder with you, knock up the Parson, slip into the Church, tumble o’re the Matrimony,. | |
![]() | Way of the World I ii: A man had as good be a professed midwife, as a professed whoremaster, at this rate! to be knocked up and raised at all hours. | |
![]() | Hist. of John Bull 101: There are indeed two or three troublesome nurses, that [...] will never let me have a quiet night’s rest with knocking me up. | |
![]() | Peregrine Pickle (1964) 259: It was about eleven o’clock at night when they arrived at Senlis [...] where they were obliged to knock up the people of the inn. | |
![]() | Humphrey Clinker (1925) I 15: I begged Morley to knock up the mayor. | |
![]() | Sporting Mag. Aug. IV 289/1: ‘Fine work, Miss Hot-upon’t,’ cries I, / ‘I’ll knock up your papa.’. | |
![]() | Adventures of Gil Blas (1822) I 212: I made the best of my way homewards, where I rendered night hideous by my howling, and knocked all the family up. | (trans.)|
![]() | Eng. Spy I 305: Knocked up Transit, and made him send for his colours. | |
![]() | Henrietta Temple 312: I was ashamed to knock them up here, and I thought [...] you would excuse this early call. | |
![]() | Martin Chuzzlewit (1995) 325: Mrs. Gamp went home [...] and was knocked up again that very night for a birth of twins. | |
![]() | Manchester Spy (NH) 21 Sept. n.p.: [They] employed him to ‘knock them up’ at two pence a week. | |
![]() | Bell’s Life in Sydney 5 June 3/3: I’ve been disturbed and knocked up out of bed as late as one, two, and three o’clock in the morning. | |
![]() | Tom Brown at Oxford (1880) 126: I’ll be bound now, the old fox came straight home to earth. Let’s go and knock him up. | |
![]() | Marlborough Express (NZ) 11 Aug. 2/6: The visitors [...] carried a motion that an adjournment should be made to the nearest hotel to knock up the publican and get a drop of whiskey. | |
![]() | Bulletin (Sydney) 23 May 9/2: Then he [...] started off at that late hour to knock up the American Consul, and get a free passage back to New York. | |
![]() | Three Men in a Boat 238: We could not go round, knocking up cottagers and householders in the middle of the night. | |
![]() | Signor Lippo 95: An old bloke who was knocker up got laid up, and they took him into the lump, where he pegged out. So I took on knocker up. | |
![]() | Amateur Cracksman (1992) 10: You would knock him up at this hour of the night? | |
![]() | My Brilliant Career 219: I’m goin’ to knock them up at Bimbalong. | |
![]() | Kipps (1952) 81: You can’t knock ’em up now [...] You’d better try and sneak in in in the morning with the cat. | |
![]() | Western Times 26 May 15/6: The colliery township of Walkden [...] has a lady ‘knocker-up’ (Mrs Turner) who rises at three o’clock each morning. | |
![]() | Ulysses 154: People knocking them up at all hours. For God’sake, doctor. | |
![]() | End of an Ancient Mariner 287: Mother’s gone back to bed, and I won’t have her knocked up twice in one night. | |
![]() | Yorks. Eve. Post 27 Oct. 13/4: Walter Worsnop (73) knocker-up [...] was going on his rounds at 5 am when he was knocked down by a motor-car and fatally injured. | |
![]() | Dict. Service Sl. n.p.: to knock up . . . awaken. | |
![]() | Western Dly Press 10 Dec. 4/7: A railway ‘knocker-up,’ [...] had an uncanny experience when carrying out his duties [etc.]. | |
![]() | Tell Morning This 284: [I]t was prisoner’s right to ‘knock up’ the warder [...] in an emergency by battering the door of the cell. | |
![]() | National Observer 3 Feb. n.p.: A male host may quite casually tell a female American house guest that he will ‘knock you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning.’ The term, of course, conveys nothing more than a rapping at the door until one is awakened. | |
![]() | Blow Your House Down 118: She’d be there in the morning, she’d probably knock me up. | |
![]() | Filth 162: I go to knock up Bladesey but he’s out. | |
![]() | Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Knock someone up (v): call around to someone’s house on business. | |
![]() | Intractable [ebook] I knocked up to attract the night screw’s attention. |
2. to injure, to impair, to wear out, to die, to defeat, thus knock-up n., an impediment, a strain.
![]() | in Anecdotes of Manners and Customs (1808) 88: The two horses still kept their courage, till they came to between Longford and Colnbrook, where he plainly perceived them begin to droop or knock-up. | |
![]() | Love à la Mode II i: So within a hundred yards of the distance post, poor Dick knocked up as stiff as a turnpike. | |
![]() | Humphrey Clinker (1925) II 118: In passing the sands, without a guide, his horse had knocked up; and he himself must have perished, if he had not been providentially relieved by a return post-chaise. | |
![]() | Works (1796) IV 365: Thus our club is knock’d up, because we’re outdone By the mirth of you mortals below. | ‘Pindariana’|
![]() | Real Life in Ireland 77: He’s going to knock up the excisemen, and give every one leave to still their own whiskey without any license. | |
![]() | Omnibus I i: Do you want him to knock up another horse, and stuff another poll parrot with mealy potatoes? | |
![]() | (con. 1820s) Settlers & Convicts 318: The good-hearted fellow had knocked his horse up the night before, full forty miles away, and had come on foot. | |
![]() | Vanity Fair I 133: I, for my part, have known a five-pound-note to interpose and knock up half a century’s attachment between two brethren. | |
![]() | Kate Coventry (1865) 15: I always go out [...] accompanied by the coachman [...] and I soon knock him up completely. | |
![]() | Semi-Attached Couple (1979) 200: I would advise you to keep him out of political life; it is a complete knock-up to all comfort. | |
![]() | (con. 1840s–50s) London Labour and London Poor III 166/2: I can’t work much more than four hours a-day on the pipes, for the blowing knocks me up and leaves me very weak. | |
![]() | Golden Butterfly III 42: If you play polo hard enough, you may knock up a pony. | |
![]() | Police Sergeant C 21 249: She ain’t a strong woman; and hard work would soon knock her up. | |
![]() | Mirror of Life 4 May 10/3: [H]e knocked his thumb up. | |
![]() | My Brilliant Career 228: Before we had gone half our journey the horses knocked up. | |
![]() | Naval Occasions 89: P. M. O., I wish you’d have a look at that shrimp; he’s knocking himself up in this heat. He swears he’s all right, but he looks fit for nothing but hospital. | ‘That which Remained’|
![]() | Working Bullocks 90: Horses is all right for a spurt, but they knock-up in no time. | |
![]() | Northern Standard (Darwin) 24 Apr. 3/1: Stott no more talk alonga Fanny ridem horse when she knock up. I savvy Mona and Violet knock up. | |
![]() | Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (2000) 233: Now, Guinevere, you mustn’t work too hard [...] I can’t have you knocking yourself up. | |
![]() | Battlers 284: They travelled slowly so that they would not ‘knock up’ the horses. | |
![]() | Exit 3 and Other Stories 77: ‘A man’s gotta watch out he don’t catch something.’ ‘No, that’s one think can knock up a man.’. | |
![]() | Fort Apache, The Bronx 262: Everybody’s always lookin’ to knock us up here. |
3. (orig. US, also knock) to impregnate.
![]() | Malcontent III i: I [...] have beat my shoemaker, knocked my semstress, cuckold my pothecary, and undone my tailor. | |
![]() | diary 12 Apr. in McPhee Pine Barrens (1982) 32: William Mick’s widow arrived here in pursuit of J. Mick, who she says has knocked her up. | |
![]() | Exploits and Adventures 97: Negro women are knocked down by the auctioneer, and knocked up by the purchaser. | |
![]() | ‘The Female Auctioneer’ Rakish Rhymer (1917) 138: I long for Pleasure’s cup, / And I’ll knock down myself to you / If you will knock me up. | |
![]() | Anecdota Americana I 13: You know that rich Mr. Leventhal? Well, he knocked me up, and I’m going to have a baby soon. | |
![]() | Web and the Rock 124: I got to watch her all the time now to keep some son-of-a-bitch from knockin’ her up. | |
![]() | (con. 1944) Naked and Dead 65: Tired? restless? Knock up a dame? Join The Army. | |
![]() | Nunnery versus Fuckery 20: ‘I’m half way to knocking you up good and proper’. | |
![]() | Corner Boy 23: You’re going to get into trouble yet. Knock up some gal or something. | |
![]() | Gentleman Junkie (1961) 31: I can’t marry anyone right now. Not Princess Grace if I’d knocked her. | ‘May We Also Speak’ in|
![]() | How to Talk Dirty 187: There is no anonymous giver, except perhaps the guy who knocks up your daughter. | |
![]() | After Hours 53: I had knocked up her sister. | |
![]() | Patriot Game (1985) 203: Knocks her up, quits school, goes to work. | |
![]() | Pugilist at Rest 146: She was still pining over a guy who knocked her up her junior year and then moved off to Spokane, leaving her and her parents to cope with the abortion. | |
![]() | Destination: Morgue! (2004) 83: Curly knocked up her daughter. She had her baby. | ‘Grave Doubt’ in|
![]() | Lush Life 412: A cop [...] who had just knocked up another female cop . | |
![]() | This Is How You Lose Her 101: Some crazy cubano knocked her up with her second son. | |
![]() | me-stepmums-too-fuckin-hot-mate at www.fakku.net 🌐 Knock me up...Empty ya nads in me! | |
![]() | Glorious Heresies 50: She’d gotten knocked up by some Scottish fella. | |
![]() | Joe Country [ebook] ‘Knock yourself up.’ [...] ‘He’s suggesting you screw yourself’. | |
![]() | Broken 194: ‘He knocked up a shot-caller’s niece, and they’re looking to punish him’. | ‘Sunset’ in
4. attrib., pertaining to impregnation.
![]() | Why Are We in Vietnam? (1970) 16: I even heard of a debutante knock-up case where the boy who had to accept the onus of parenthood [etc.]. |
5. to put together spontaneously, to arrange at short notice.
![]() | Letters from Alabama 19 Feb. 181: We’ll knock up a fat chicken or two, and my wife is first rate at a cup of coffee. | |
![]() | Real Life in Ireland 194: Captain Blake knocked up as fine a jug of whiskey punch as ever three hearty fellows knocked down. | |
![]() | Pierce Egan’s Life in London 31 Oct. 317/2: It was a hasty match for 10l. knocked up on Tuesday at a sporting-house on the road from Lalam’s. | |
![]() | ‘The Cly-Pecker’ Swell!!! or, Slap-Up Chaunter 38: If he’s green, and well-breech’d, I will knock up a fire. | |
![]() | Manchester Spy (NH) 21 Sept. n.p.: It referred perhaps to the ‘getting up’ of some portion of a lady’s dress, or knocking up some article of attire [...] in a hurry. | |
![]() | Bleak House (1991) 284: Knocking up apologies for shelves. | |
![]() | Wild Boys of London I 13/1: Savage Mike had contrived to knock up a sort of friendly feeling between himself and the mechanic. | |
![]() | Three Men in a Boat 234: They knocked up a little place for him at the bottom of the garden. | |
![]() | Sappers and Miners 130: ‘Come to knock up an accident of some kind!’ said the man, with the grin on his face expanding. | |
![]() | Such is Life 8: I was thinkin’ we might manage to knock up some sort o’ swap. | |
![]() | ‘Grandfather’s Courtship’ in Roderick (1972) 872: Run in an’ see if harriet can’t knock you up a snack. | |
![]() | Haxby’s Circus 144: An old miner knocked up a cool-safe for her. | |
![]() | Horse’s Mouth (1948) 105: I knocked up a little sketch of Sara on a piece of plank. | |
![]() | A Breath of French Air (1985) 205: It wasn’t half as good as she knocked up herself of a Sunday morning, she decided, but wasn’t bad really. | |
![]() | Cop This Lot 84: She’s a beaut buildin’, but. Like ter get a contract ter knock one of ’em up at ’ome. | |
![]() | Sun. Times Mag. 16 Sept. 31: When my husband and I are alone we prefer simple foods, so I knock up an omlette. | |
![]() | Only Fools and Horses [TV script] Anything was better than the salmonella and chips that Grandad used to knock up! | ‘Big Brother’|
![]() | Indep. on Sun. Real Life 26 Sept. 3: Knock up a pasta and pesto sauce. | |
![]() | Observer Screen 6 Feb. 16: Watching Delia knock up a hearty bowl of soup. | |
![]() | Mystery Bay Blues 25: I’ll knock up something to eat. |
6. to earn a living, usu. with a noun, e.g. knock up a crust.
![]() | (con. 1840s–50s) London Labour and London Poor III 135/2: We did middling, but we could always manage to knock up such a thing as 20s. each a-week. | |
![]() | Black Police 258: Here he is, working hard to ‘knock up’ another cheque. | |
![]() | ‘Their Mate’s Honour’ in Roderick (1972) 754: He was away knocking up a cheque to buy a cottage. | |
![]() | Me And Gus (1977) 20: He said we could hop in that winter while the cows were dry, and knock up anything up to a fiver a day each. | ‘Wood-Splitting with Gus’|
![]() | Capricornia (1939) 364: He knocks up an average of eight quid a week. | |
![]() | Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 150: Before the war they was knocking up their eight or ten quid a week. | |
![]() | Shiralee 46: He could knock up a decent cheque. |
7. to amass.
![]() | Sporting Life 10 Dec. n.p.: With only 29 to win, White at his next attempt knocked up the necessary item [F&H]. | |
![]() | Me And Gus (1977) 22: Those two old chaps over the fence had knocked up over two cord that day. | ‘Wood-Splitting with Gus’|
![]() | Died in the Wool (1963) 121: Lots of shearers wait until they’ve knocked up a good fat cheque and then [...] blue it all at the pub. | |
![]() | All Bull 110: Working at lightning speed, we finished most of the paper together and knocked up an amazing 75%. |
8. (Aus.) to give up, to stop.
![]() | Sun. Times (Perth) 18 Dec. 1/1: Even the rubbish man is knocked up by the horror of the humming herring. | |
![]() | White Shoes 12: Do me a favour [...] knock up on the jokes about white shoes [...] it goes over like a boil on your arse. | |
![]() | Leaving Bondi (2013) [ebook] ‘I won’t tell you again [...] Knock up on the nagging’. |
9. (Aus. prison) to bang on the cell door to attract attention.
![]() | ‘Siriusly’ Speaking in Just Us (H.M. Prison, Beechworth, Vic.) Dec. 26/2: knock upv.Cf. bang up, but with smallre object. |
In compounds
(US Und.) the profit from a crime.
![]() | (con. 1905–25) Professional Thief (1956) 35: All loans must be repaid out of the first knockup money. | |
![]() | Men of the Und. 323: Knockup money, Profits from a criminal racket. |
In phrases
(Aus.) to earn money for one’s labour.
![]() | Black Police 258: Here he is, working hard to ‘knock up’ another cheque. | |
![]() | Truth (Sydney) 12 Apr. 11/4: Making for the sugar country where a cheque can be knocked up quickly. | |
![]() | Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Mar. 20/4: His beloved gin had, whilst he had been knocking up a cheque to tide them over the honeymoon, allowed a rival to cut him out. | |
![]() | Mr Jelly’s Business 32: I knocked up a good cheque there breaking horses. | |
![]() | Morale 102: They had knocked up a cheque on a seven-months job, and they were going to knock it down before they signed on for another [AND]. |