1 A2 idiomatic informal
A command to stop doing something that is annoying, disruptive, or inappropriate.
"The teacher turned around and said, 'Knock it off — I can hear you talking at the back.'"
knock it off
A2 informal intransitive
An imperative phrase telling someone to stop doing something annoying or disruptive.
In plain English
Stop it! Stop doing that annoying thing right now!
What does "knock it off" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Almost always used as an imperative. Common in informal speech, especially when addressing children or in casual adult confrontations. 'It' is fixed — you cannot substitute another pronoun. Tone ranges from mildly irritated to angry depending on context.
Words that pair with "knock it off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
will you just please now already
How to conjugate "knock it off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
knock it off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
knocks it off
he/she/it
Past simple
knocked it off
yesterday
Past participle
knocked it off
have + pp
-ing form
knocking it off
continuous
Hear "knock it off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "knock it off"
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