Green’s Dictionary of Slang

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].

1603		Dekker Wonderfull Yeare 39: In euery house griefe striking vp [...] Some frantically running to knock vp Sextons, others fear-fully sweating with Coffins.
1657		T. Jordan 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.
1664		Etherege Love In A Tub I ii: A Midwife was never knock’d up With more fury.
1700		Congreve 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.
1712		J. Arbuthnot 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.
1751		Smollett 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.
1771		Smollett Humphrey Clinker (1925) I 15: I begged Morley to knock up the mayor.
1794		Sporting Mag. Aug. IV 289/1: ‘Fine work, Miss Hot-upon’t,’ cries I, / ‘I’ll knock up your papa.’.
1809		B.H. Malkin (trans.) 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.
1825		C.M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I 305: Knocked up Transit, and made him send for his colours.
1837		Disraeli Henrietta Temple 312: I was ashamed to knock them up here, and I thought [...] you would excuse this early call.
1843–44		Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1995) 325: Mrs. Gamp went home [...] and was knocked up again that very night for a birth of twins.
1850		Manchester Spy (NH) 21 Sept. n.p.: [They] employed him to ‘knock them up’ at two pence a week.
1858		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.
1861		T. Hughes 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.
1881		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.
1885		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.
1889		J.K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat 238: We could not go round, knocking up cottagers and householders in the middle of the night.
1893		P.H. Emerson 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.
1899		E.W. Hornung Amateur Cracksman (1992) 10: You would knock him up at this hour of the night?
1901		‘Miles Franklin’ My Brilliant Career 219: I’m goin’ to knock them up at Bimbalong.
1905		H.G. Wells Kipps (1952) 81: You can’t knock ’em up now [...] You’d better try and sneak in in in the morning with the cat.
1905		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.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 154: People knocking them up at all hours. For God’sake, doctor.
1933		G.D.H. & M. Cole End of an Ancient Mariner 287: Mother’s gone back to bed, and I won’t have her knocked up twice in one night.
1938		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.
1944		P. Kendall Dict. Service Sl. n.p.: to knock up . . . awaken.
1946		Western Dly Press 10 Dec. 4/7: A railway ‘knocker-up,’ [...] had an uncanny experience when carrying out his duties [etc.].
1967		K. Tennant 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.
1973		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.
1984		P. Barker Blow Your House Down 118: She’d be there in the morning, she’d probably knock me up.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 162: I go to knock up Bladesey but he’s out.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Knock someone up (v): call around to someone’s house on business.
2006		B. Matthews 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.

1733		in J. Malcolm 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.
1759		Charles Macklin Love à la Mode II i: So within a hundred yards of the distance post, poor Dick knocked up as stiff as a turnpike.
1771		Smollett 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.
1795		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Pindariana’ Works (1796) IV 365: Thus our club is knock’d up, because we’re outdone By the mirth of you mortals below.
1821		‘A Real Paddy’ 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.
1830		I. Pocock Omnibus I i: Do you want him to knock up another horse, and stuff another poll parrot with mealy potatoes?
1847		[A. Harris] (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.
1848		Thackeray 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.
1856		G.J. Whyte-Melville Kate Coventry (1865) 15: I always go out [...] accompanied by the coachman [...] and I soon knock him up completely.
1860		E. Eden 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.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew 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.
1876		Besant & Rice Golden Butterfly III 42: If you play polo hard enough, you may knock up a pony.
1888		R. Barnett Police Sergeant C 21 249: She ain’t a strong woman; and hard work would soon knock her up.
1895		Mirror of Life 4 May 10/3: [H]e knocked his thumb up.
1901		‘Miles Franklin’ My Brilliant Career 228: Before we had gone half our journey the horses knocked up.
1914		‘Bartimeus’ ‘That which Remained’ 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.
1926		K.S. Prichard Working Bullocks 90: Horses is all right for a spurt, but they knock-up in no time.
1934		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.
1938		W. Watson Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (2000) 233: Now, Guinevere, you mustn’t work too hard [...] I can’t have you knocking yourself up.
1941		K. Tennant Battlers 284: They travelled slowly so that they would not ‘knock up’ the horses.
1966		M. Rumaker 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.’.
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 262: Everybody’s always lookin’ to knock us up here.

3. (orig. US, also knock) to impregnate.

1604		Marston Malcontent III i: I [...] have beat my shoemaker, knocked my semstress, cuckold my pothecary, and undone my tailor.
1813		Caleb Earle 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.
1836		D. Crockett Exploits and Adventures 97: Negro women are knocked down by the auctioneer, and knocked up by the purchaser.
c.1864		‘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.
1927		‘J.M. Hall’ Anecdota Americana I 13: You know that rich Mr. Leventhal? Well, he knocked me up, and I’m going to have a baby soon.
1939		T. Wolfe 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.
1948		(con. 1944) N. Mailer Naked and Dead 65: Tired? restless? Knock up a dame? Join The Army.
c.1950		Nunnery versus Fuckery 20: ‘I’m half way to knocking you up good and proper’.
1957		H. Simmons Corner Boy 23: You’re going to get into trouble yet. Knock up some gal or something.
1959		H. Ellison ‘May We Also Speak’ in Gentleman Junkie (1961) 31: I can’t marry anyone right now. Not Princess Grace if I’d knocked her.
1965		L. Bruce How to Talk Dirty 187: There is no anonymous giver, except perhaps the guy who knocks up your daughter.
1979		E. Torres After Hours 53: I had knocked up her sister.
1982		G.V. Higgins Patriot Game (1985) 203: Knocks her up, quits school, goes to work.
1993		T. Jones 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.
2000		J. Ellroy ‘Grave Doubt’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 83: Curly knocked up her daughter. She had her baby.
2008		R. Price Lush Life 412: A cop [...] who had just knocked up another female cop .
2012		J. Díaz This Is How You Lose Her 101: Some crazy cubano knocked her up with her second son.
2014		me-stepmums-too-fuckin-hot-mate at www.fakku.net 🌐 Knock me up...Empty ya nads in me!
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 50: She’d gotten knocked up by some Scottish fella.
2019		M. Herron Joe Country [ebook] ‘Knock yourself up.’ [...] ‘He’s suggesting you screw yourself’.
2020		D. Winslow ‘Sunset’ in Broken 194: ‘He knocked up a shot-caller’s niece, and they’re looking to punish him’.

4. attrib., pertaining to impregnation.

1967

N. Mailer 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.

1818		A.N. Royall 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.
1821		‘A Real Paddy’ Real Life in Ireland 194: Captain Blake knocked up as fine a jug of whiskey punch as ever three hearty fellows knocked down.
1824		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.
1833		‘The Cly-Pecker’ Swell!!! or, Slap-Up Chaunter 38: If he’s green, and well-breech’d, I will knock up a fire.
1850		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.
1853		Dickens Bleak House (1991) 284: Knocking up apologies for shelves.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 13/1: Savage Mike had contrived to knock up a sort of friendly feeling between himself and the mechanic.
1889		J.K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat 234: They knocked up a little place for him at the bottom of the garden.
1896		G.M. Fenn Sappers and Miners 130: ‘Come to knock up an accident of some kind!’ said the man, with the grin on his face expanding.
1903		J. Furphy Such is Life 8: I was thinkin’ we might manage to knock up some sort o’ swap.
1912		H. Lawson ‘Grandfather’s Courtship’ in Roderick (1972) 872: Run in an’ see if harriet can’t knock you up a snack.
1930		K.S. Prichard Haxby’s Circus 144: An old miner knocked up a cool-safe for her.
1944		J. Cary Horse’s Mouth (1948) 105: I knocked up a little sketch of Sara on a piece of plank.
1959		H.E. Bates 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.
1960		‘Nino Culotta’ Cop This Lot 84: She’s a beaut buildin’, but. Like ter get a contract ter knock one of ’em up at ’ome.
1973		Sun. Times Mag. 16 Sept. 31: When my husband and I are alone we prefer simple foods, so I knock up an omlette.
1981		J. Sullivan ‘Big Brother’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] Anything was better than the salmonella and chips that Grandad used to knock up!
1999		Indep. on Sun. Real Life 26 Sept. 3: Knock up a pasta and pesto sauce.
2000		Observer Screen 6 Feb. 16: Watching Delia knock up a hearty bowl of soup.
2002		R.G. Barrett 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.

1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew 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.
1890		A.J. Vogan Black Police 258: Here he is, working hard to ‘knock up’ another cheque.
1908		H. Lawson ‘Their Mate’s Honour’ in Roderick (1972) 754: He was away knocking up a cheque to buy a cottage.
1923–4		F. Anthony ‘Wood-Splitting with Gus’ 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.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 364: He knocks up an average of eight quid a week.
1950		C. Harris Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 150: Before the war they was knocking up their eight or ten quid a week.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 46: He could knock up a decent cheque.

7. to amass.

1888		Sporting Life 10 Dec. n.p.: With only 29 to win, White at his next attempt knocked up the necessary item [F&H].
1923–4		F. Anthony ‘Wood-Splitting with Gus’ Me And Gus (1977) 22: Those two old chaps over the fence had knocked up over two cord that day.
1945		N. Marsh 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.
1973		B.S. Johnson 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.

1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 18 Dec. 1/1: Even the rubbish man is knocked up by the horror of the humming herring.
1992		R.G. Barrett White Shoes 12: Do me a favour [...] knock up on the jokes about white shoes [...] it goes over like a boil on your arse.
2000		R.G. Barrett Leaving Bondi (2013) [ebook] ‘I won’t tell you again [...] Knock up on the nagging’.