1 C1 idiomatic formal
To submit to authority or overwhelming pressure; to stop resisting and comply.
"After weeks of negotiation, the council finally knocked under to the landowner's demands."
inseparable
knock under
C1 formal inseparable intransitive
To yield or submit to authority, pressure, or superior force.
In plain English
To stop fighting and agree to do what someone else wants.
What does "knock under" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To knock something downward, suggesting being pushed beneath another's power.
Actually means
To stop fighting and agree to do what someone else wants.
Usage tip
This is an archaic or very old-fashioned expression. Modern speakers almost never use it; 'knuckle under' or 'give in' are preferred. It may appear in historical texts.
Words that pair with "knock under"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
authority pressure demands force superior
How to conjugate "knock under"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
knock under
I/you/we/they
3rd person
knocks under
he/she/it
Past simple
knocked under
yesterday
Past participle
knocked under
have + pp
-ing form
knocking under
continuous
Hear "knock under" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "knock under" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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