What Does “Knock sth down” Mean?
“Knock sth down” means to cause something to fall or collapse, usually by hitting or pushing it. It can also mean to reduce the price of something.
Introduction
The phrase “knock sth down” is a common phrasal verb in English. It has a few different meanings depending on the context. Most often, it refers to physically causing a structure or object to fall, like knocking down a wall or a building. It can also mean lowering the price of an item during a negotiation. Understanding the knock sth down meaning helps learners use it correctly in daily conversations and writing. This phrasal verb is practical and appears in many real-life situations, from construction to shopping.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: knock something down
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1
- Short meaning: to make something fall or reduce its price
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Knock sth down” is a separable transitive phrasal verb. This means you can place the object between “knock” and “down” or after the whole phrasal verb.
- knock something down
- knock down something
Both are correct, but placing the object between the verb and particle is more common.
How to Use “Knock sth down”?
Use “knock sth down” when talking about physically making something fall or destroying it. For example, a building or wall can be knocked down. It is also used when discussing lowering prices during bargaining or sales.
Remember, the object must be a thing, not a person. For example, you can knock down a fence, but not a person (for that, you might say “knock someone over”).
Examples
- The workers knocked down the old house to build a new one.
- She managed to knock down the price of the car by $500.
- The kids accidentally knocked down the vase from the table.
- The boxer knocked down his opponent in the third round.
- We need permission before we knock down this wall.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I knocked down him during the fight.
Correct: I knocked him down during the fight. - Incorrect: He knocked down in the shop.
Correct: He knocked the price down in the shop. - Incorrect: She knocked down the quickly price.
Correct: She quickly knocked down the price.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Knock over: Usually means to cause a person or object to fall by pushing or hitting. Focuses more on people or smaller objects.
- Break down: Refers to something stopping working or being destroyed into smaller pieces, not necessarily by hitting.
- Pull down: Also means to demolish a building or structure, but usually by pulling or dismantling rather than hitting.
While “knock sth down” often implies a forceful hit, “pull down” is more controlled, and “knock over” often involves people or smaller items.
Common Collocations
- Knock down a building
- Knock down a wall
- Knock down a fence
- Knock down the price
- Knock down a vase
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of knock sth down:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: The old barn looks unsafe. Are they going to knock it down?
Tom: Yes, the city plans to knock down the barn next week and build a park.
Anna: I also heard they knocked down the price of those apartments.
Tom: That’s true. They want to sell them quickly.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
- A) They knocked down the tree in the garden.
- B) They knocked the down tree in the garden.
- C) They knocked down quickly the tree in the garden.
Answer: A
Fill in the blank:
The shopkeeper agreed to __________ the price after I asked.
(knock down / knock over / pull down)
Answer: knock down
FAQs
- Q: Can “knock sth down” be used with people?
A: Usually, no. Use “knock someone down” for people, but the object here is a person, not “sth” (something).
- Q: Is “knock sth down” formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
- Q: What is the opposite of “knock sth down”?
A: “Build up” or “put up” can be opposites, meaning to construct or raise something.
- Q: Can “knock down” mean reduce price?
A: Yes, it is common to say “knock down the price” during negotiations.
- Q: Is “knock sth down” separable?
A: Yes, you can say “knock the wall down” or “knock down the wall.”
