knock under
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To acknowledge oneself conquered; to submit, to yield.
Register: dated
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
I pull the second best trigger in this county. I knock under to Natty Bumppo there, sin' he shot the pigeon.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To die.
Register: dated, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “knock under” mean?
To acknowledge oneself conquered; to submit, to yield.
Is “knock under” formal or informal?
knock under is generally dated.