I. intransitive verb
1. : to discontinue doing something ; specifically : to cease from work or some other occupation
knocks off for several days and lolls about in pajamas — E.P.Snow
2. slang : die
transitive verb
1.
a. : to do especially in a hurried or routine way : take care of : get through with : attend to : dispatch
knocking off routine duties with very little thought
b. : to produce especially roughly or hastily : turn out hurriedly
knocks off one book after another
2.
a.
(1) : to discontinue (work or some other occupation) : leave off
arranged that they should knock off work at five — Nevil Shute
: desist from : stop , quit
(2) : to cause to leave off from (work or some other indicated occupation) : dismiss
the foreman knocked off the workers for lunch
told them he was tired of their talking and that he wished they would knock it off
b. : to dispense with : pass over : skip
hoped that the usual inspection would be knocked off
3. : deduct
knocked off 20 cents to make the price more attractive
4.
a. : to take into custody : seize , arrest , nab
had enough sense not to get knocked off by the police — Richard Llewellyn
b. : raid
knocked off a gambling joint
5.
a. : kill , murder
knocked off two men, purely on mercenary grounds — Lewis Baker
b. : overcome , destroy
knocked off each center of rebellion
c. : to get rid of : eliminate
knocked off every objection
usually has to knock off only one or two opponents — W.S.Carlson
d. : to dispose of to or as if to a bidder at an auction sale : knock down
6.
a. slang
(1) : steal
knocked off a few trinkets in the store
(2) : rob
knocked off a couple of banks
b. : receive , get , obtain
knocks off a Nobel prize — Ethel Merman
7. : to swallow down : toss of : finish off
ordered a schooner of beer and knocked it off with unaffected enthusiasm — A.J.Liebling
II. transitive verb
1. : to make a knockoff of
knocks off popular dress designs
2. : to make knockoffs of the designs of
knock off a well-known designer