knuckle up

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English

Verb

knuckle up (third-person singular simple present knuckles up, present participle knuckling up, simple past and past participle knuckled up)

  1. (informal, chiefly African-American Vernacular) To clench one's fist(s) as though in preparation for a fight.
    • 2012, Vanessa Miller, Latter Rain:
      With a resolve to get his son away from these monsters, Isaac knuckled up and mean-mugged his opponent.
    • 2012, Pink Maxwell, A Scorpion's Sting, page 209:
      Tony stumbled a little and when he found his balance, he knuckled up and sent a jab toward Will's neck.
  2. (informal, by extension) To approach a problem aggressively.
  3. (slang) To strike or fight.