knock over

phrasal verb·2 senses·particle over

Meanings

1

Cause something to fall by hitting it

Flip

Why “over”? The top moves to the bottom. The object turns over.

“He knocked over his glass.”
He hit his glass and made it fall.
“The dog knocked over the bin.”
The dog hit the bin and made it fall.
“I accidentally knocked the lamp over.”
I accidentally hit the lamp and made it topple over.
2

Hit a person with a vehicle, knocking them down

Flip
“She was knocked over by a cyclist.”
She was hit and knocked down by a cyclist.
“The child was knocked over by a large dog.”
The child was hit and made to fall by a large dog.

Don't confuse with

knock overknock back

Knock over means cause something to fall by hitting it. Knock back means reject an offer or proposal.

Test yourself

“He knocked over his glass.” What does it mean?

Nearby in the meaning map

Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.

knock back

A contrast learners often mix up

Reject an offer or proposal

boil over

Same over pattern: flip

(of liquid) overflow while boiling

bowl over

Same over pattern: flip

Knock down or astonish completely

fall over

Same over pattern: flip

Topple from an upright position to the ground; Try very eagerly to do something ("fall over yourself")

flip over

Same over pattern: flip

Rotate quickly to the other side

keel over

Same over pattern: flip

Fall over sideways suddenly, especially because of illness or shock

pass over

Same over pattern: flip

Skip or transfer to someone else; Ignore or skip someone, especially for promotion; Choose not to discuss something

push over

Same over pattern: flip

Push something so it falls on its side

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