knock up
Third Person
knocks up
Present Participle
knocking up
Past Tense
knocked up
Past Participle
knocked up
1
to make something quickly and easily, often without much care or effort
- I knocked up a quick sandwich for lunch.
- She knocked up a few sketches for the new product design.
- They knocked a makeshift shelter up out of branches and leaves.
- He knocked a presentation up for his boss in just a few hours.
- I knocked up a quick lasagna for dinner tonight because I didn't have time to cook anything elaborate.
2
to cause a woman to become pregnant
- He knocked her up and then left her to raise the child on her own.
- She's worried that she might be knocked up after that one-night stand.
- The doctor confirmed that she was knocked up and that she was due to give birth in six months.
- He knocked his ex-girlfriend up and now has to pay child support.
Synonyms:
3
(in tennis) to warm up for a match by hitting a few balls back and forth for a short time
- The tennis players knocked up for a few minutes before the start of their match.
- The coach told the players to knock up before starting their practice drills.
- The spectators watched the players knock up as they anticipated the start of the match.
- The players knocked up for a few minutes to get warmed up before their doubles match.
- The junior players knocked up before their tournament match.
4
to wake someone up by gently banging on their door
- He knocked me up at six o'clock in the morning to go fishing.
- I knocked up my friend for work.
- The kids knocked up their parents to ask for breakfast.
- She knocked her neighbor up to ask for help with a flat tire.
- The hotel staff knocked me up at 6am to deliver my wake-up call.