1 C1 idiomatic informal
To raise one's fists and prepare for a fistfight.
"The two men knuckled up in the middle of the car park, surrounded by onlookers."
inseparable
knuckle up
C1 informal inseparable intransitive
To raise one's fists in preparation for a fistfight; to prepare to fight.
In plain English
To get ready to punch someone in a fight.
What does "knuckle up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To raise one's knuckles upward — i.e., to hold up one's fists ready to strike.
Actually means
To get ready to punch someone in a fight.
Usage tip
Relatively rare and mostly used in informal or dialectal speech. Found more in descriptions of street fights or boxing contexts. More common in American English than British English.
Words that pair with "knuckle up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fight fists brawl opponent street
How to conjugate "knuckle up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
knuckle up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
knuckles up
he/she/it
Past simple
knuckled up
yesterday
Past participle
knuckled up
have + pp
-ing form
knuckling up
continuous
Hear "knuckle up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "knuckle up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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