Knock down meaning
Knock down means to destroy a building or wall on purpose. It can also mean to hit someone, especially with a car, so they fall.
knock something down
knock down · knocked · knocking
They’re knocking down the old cinema to build flats.
Knock down meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Destroy a building or wall on purpose
knock something down
- They’re knocking down the old cinema to build flats.
- We knocked the wall down to make a bigger kitchen.
- The school wasn’t knocked down in the end.
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2
Hit someone, especially with a car, so they fall
knock somebody down
- A cyclist was knocked down by a van this morning.
- The big wave knocked me down.
- Be careful. That dog could knock the baby down.
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3
Make a price lower, or persuade a seller to do this
knock somebody or something down
- The shop knocked the sofa down to half price.
- I knocked him down to 200 euros for the bike.
- Is there any chance you could knock the price down?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use knock down in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is knock down separable?
Knock down is separable: knock down the wall or knock the wall down. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: knock it down. It is often passive: was knocked down.
Knocked down prices are lower prices, often in a sale. Knock over is different: it means make something fall onto its side, like a glass.
Verb tenses for knock down
| Present | I knock down · she knocks down |
|---|---|
| Past | knocked down |
| Present perfect | have knocked down |
| -ing form | knocking down |
Common mistakes with knock down
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: The council plans to knock down it.
Right: The council plans to knock it down.
A pronoun goes between knock and down.
Wrong: He knocked down his coffee on the table.
Right: He knocked over his coffee on the table.
For a cup or glass that falls on its side, use knock over.
Wrong: My grandma knocked down by a bike.
Right: My grandma was knocked down by a bike.
When something hits you, use the passive.
Synonyms and opposites of knock down
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- demolishthe formal word for destroying a building
- knock overmake something fall on its side
- blow updestroy something with an explosion
Opposite
- buildmake a new building
- put upbuild or raise a wall, tent or fence
Knock down quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The old stadium was ___ last year, and a park is there now.
Knock down a building means destroy it.
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2Choose the right sentence.
For a vase or glass that falls on its side, use knock over.
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3“He was knocked down on the zebra crossing.” What happened?
Be knocked down means be hit by a vehicle and fall.
More phrasal verbs with knock
2 phrasal verbs start with knock. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Knock down FAQ
Questions people ask about knock down.
What is the difference between knock down and knock over?
Knock down is for buildings and people: knock down a wall. Knock over is for things you push onto their side: knock over a cup.
What does knocked down price mean?
It is a lower price than before, often in a sale: knocked-down prices on summer clothes.
Is knock down the same as tear down?
For buildings, yes. Tear down is more common in US English.
Use knock down in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.