Making something fall by a blow

The idea

Use knock down for making someone or something fall by hitting them. A noun can go before or after down: knock the bottle down or knock down the bottle. Put a pronoun between the words: knock it down. It is everyday English.

Examples

• The ball knocked down the bottle.
• The cyclist knocked the cone down.
• A car knocked the pedestrian down.
• The dog knocked me down.
• The child knocked down three wooden blocks.
• Be careful not to knock it down.

Watch out

Do not place an object pronoun after the particle: say knock it down, not knock down it.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. The ball hit the cup and knocked it ___. (down / in)

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   down

   down completes the expression for making the cup fall.

2. Choose the correct option. The dog ran into Sam and knocked ___. (him down / down him)

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   him down

   him down puts the pronoun before the particle.

3. Choose the correct option. The bicycle ___ down a sign yesterday. (knocked / knock)

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   knocked

   knocked gives the past action.

Use it today

Describe an object that fell after something hit it.