knock-up

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See also: knockup and knock up

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Deverbal from knock up.

Pronunciation

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Noun

knock-up (plural knock-ups)

  1. (sports) A short practice session before a tennis match.
    • 1932, American Lawn Tennis, volume 26, page 72:
      In the way of friendly knockups I played at times with both the Renshaws and Lawford, but at that time there is no doubt that they were better than I was.
  2. Something constructed shoddily or hastily.
    • 2000, Jonathan Kellerman, Monster, page 47:
      One of those unadorned late-fifties hillside knockups posing as intentionally contemporary but really the product of a tight construction budget.
  3. (slang) A pregnancy.
    • 2016, Veronica Valles, Back To The Center, page 54:
      When will we wake up? I see young girls pregnant and young boys adding up their “knock-ups” like a scorecard at a mob gambling venue.

Translations