Meaning & use
knock off things
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Meanings
phraseintransitiveinformal
to stop working, especially at the end of a day or shift
Grammar: No object is needed; it often appears alone or with a time expression like 'at five'.
Patterns
- knock off at + time
- knock off early
We usually knock off things at around six o'clock.
Let's knock off things early today because it's Friday.
The workers knocked off things as soon as the bell rang.
phrasetransitiveinformal
to reduce a price or amount by a certain sum
Grammar: Takes an object: knock off things (or knock things off). Often followed by 'from' or 'of'.
Patterns
- knock off something from something
- knock something off something
The shop knocked off things from the original price during the sale.
Can you knock off things a few dollars from the total?
They knocked off things 20% from the marked price.
phrasetransitiveinformal
to steal or take something quickly and without permission
Grammar: Takes an object: knock off things (or knock things off). Used informally.
Patterns
- knock off something from someone
- knock something off
Someone knocked off things from the display table when no one was looking.
He knocked off things from the office supply closet.
They knocked off things from the store and ran away.
phrasetransitiveinformal
to produce a copy of a product, usually without permission
Grammar: Takes an object: knock off things (or knock things off). Often used in the context of fashion or electronics.
Patterns
- knock off something from a designer
- knock something off
That factory knocks off things from famous brands.
They knocked off things from the latest phone model.
It's illegal to knock off things from a trademarked design.
Common combinations
- knock off work
- I'll knock off work at five and meet you for coffee.
- knock off early
- Since it's a holiday, we can knock off early.
- knock off a few pounds
- The seller knocked off a few pounds because of the scratch.
- knock off a design
- They knocked off a design from a luxury brand.
- knock off for the day
- Let's knock off for the day and finish tomorrow.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clock off
- Used mainly for recording your leaving time at work; it is more formal and specific than 'knock off'.
- finish work
- A neutral, standard way to say you have completed your workday; 'knock off' is more casual.
- steal
- A general verb for taking something illegally; 'knock off' is informal and often implies a quick, casual act.
- copy
- A neutral verb for making something similar; 'knock off' suggests doing it illegally or without permission.
Opposites
Word family
- knock-off noun
- An informal noun meaning a cheap copy of a product, especially a designer item.
- knockoff noun
- Same as 'knock-off'; often used before another noun, as in 'knockoff handbags'.
Commonly confused: knock off things or knock out? knock off things or knock down?
knock off things vs knock out
Means to make someone unconscious or to eliminate them from a competition; it is different from 'knock off'.
knock off things vs knock down
Means to hit someone with a vehicle or to demolish a building; not the same as stopping work or reducing a price.
Practice
What time do you usually knock off ___?
Choose one answer.
'Knock off work' is a common fixed phrase meaning to finish working. 'From work' is not used with 'knock off' in this sense, and 'of work' and 'working' do not fit the pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “knock off things”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.