# knock

> English word · Noun · IPA /nɒk/ · frequency rank #3,956

## Definitions
1. An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.
2. A sharp impact.
3. A criticism.
4. A blow or setback.
5. Preignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition; also, the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.
6. A batsman's innings.
7. A ball hit into play, especially one that becomes a hit.
8. Synonym of hunger knock.

## Etymology
From Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian, ġecnocian, ġecnucian, cnucian (“to knock, pound on, beat”), from Proto-West Germanic *knokōn, from Proto-Germanic *knukōną (“to knock”), a suffixed form of *knu-, *knew- (“to pound on, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnew-, *gen- (“to squeeze, pinch, kink, ball up, concentrate”). The English word is cognate with Middle High German knochen (“to hit”), Old English cnuian, cnuwian (“to pound, knock”), Old Norse knoka (compare Danish knuge (“to squeeze”), Swedish knocka (“to hug”)).

## Easily confused with
- **Kok** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-kok)
- **know** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-know)
- **Knox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knox)
- **knot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knot)
- **Koch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-koch)
- **kook** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-kook)
- **Kwok** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-kwok)
- **known** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-known)
- **knows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knows)
- **knots** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knots)
- **knoll** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knoll)
- **Knopf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knopf)
- **Knott** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knott)
- **knocks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knocks)
- **knocked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knock-vs-knocked)
- **kno** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kno-vs-knock)
- **kick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kick-vs-knock)
- **knob** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knob-vs-knock)
- **knack** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/knack-vs-knock)
- **kiosk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kiosk-vs-knock)

## Common misspellings (8)
`kknock`, `kncok`, `knnock`, `knocck`, `knockk`, `knokc`, `konck`, `nkock`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/knock