knock-up

See also: knockup and knock up

English

Alternative forms

• knockup

Etymology

Deverbal from knock up.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

knock-up (plural knock-ups)

1. (sports) A short practice session before a tennis match.
   • 1932, American Lawn Tennis, volume 26, page 72:

     In the way of friendly knockups I played at times with both the Renshaws and Lawford, but at that time there is no doubt that they were better than I was.

2. Something constructed shoddily or hastily.
   • 2000, Jonathan Kellerman, Monster, page 47:

     One of those unadorned late-fifties hillside knockups posing as intentionally contemporary but really the product of a tight construction budget.

3. (slang) A pregnancy.
   • 2016, Veronica Valles, Back To The Center, page 54:

     When will we wake up? I see young girls pregnant and young boys adding up their “knock-ups” like a scorecard at a mob gambling venue.

Related terms

• knock up

Translations

short practise session

• Italian: palleggio (it) m
• Russian: разминка (ru) f (razminka)