Definition of "knock"

Since forming in 2007 Mumford & Sons have hard-toured their way to a vast market for throaty folk that's strong on banjo and bass drum. They have released two enormous albums. But, wow, do they take some knocks back home.

2012 November 15, Tom Lamont, The Daily Telegraph‎

"Come on!" cried Mr. Beaver, who was almost dancing with delight. "Come and see! This is a nasty knock for the Witch! It looks as if her power was already crumbling."

1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Then ſaid Evangeliſt, Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto: ſo ſhalt thou ſee the Gate; at which, when thou knockeſt, it ſhall be told thee what thou ſhalt do.

1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […]; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress (The Noel Douglas Replicas), London: Noel Douglas, […], 1928, page 3

Master, knock the door hard.

c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene i]

And my friend, the reporter, could see nothing funny in this! Sent out on an assignment to write up a roaring, hilarious, brilliant joshing story of—but I will not knock a brother—let us go on with the story.

1910, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “The Thing's the Play”, in Strictly Business‎

A Judge must be respected, / A Judge you mustn't knock / Or else you'll be detected / And shoved into the dock.

1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 148

“And what do you care when some folks start knocking you? It’s a sign you getting some place.”

1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books, published 2014, page 386

The pious have sometimes knocked the day [Thanksgiving] for its laughter, its late sleeping, its overeating.

1980 November 27, “Inclusive”, in The New York Times‎

Despite enjoying more than their fair share of possession the visitors did not look like creating anything, with their lack of a killer ball painfully obvious as they harmlessly knocked the ball around outside the home side's box without ever looking like they would hurt them.

2011 January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 – 1 Birmingham”, in BBC Sport‎

"The Silver Shoes," said the Good Witch, "have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go."

1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M. Hill Co.

The cops had busted us for selling hot designer bags up on Utica Avenue for some cat who figured we was too young to get knocked if we got caught, but two fat white po-pos said fuck how young we was, and threw us in a cell for damn near three days until they could contact Noojie to come get us out.

2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World/Ballantine Books, page 134