knock down — hit and make fall
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To hit someone or something so that they fall to the ground.
Say it like a native
Textbook She was struck by a vehicle and fell to the ground.
Native She got knocked down by a car.
'Knock down' is the natural verb for being hit and felled. The formal version reads like a report.
Pattern: knock down [object/person]
In use
- The cyclist was knocked down by a car but luckily wasn't badly hurt.daily life
- I once saw a child get knocked down by a stray football during a game at school.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ He was knocked down from a cyclist.
✓ He was knocked down by a cyclist.
Use 'by' for the agent — 'knocked down BY a car/cyclist'.
Common collocations
knock down— by a car, a pedestrian, to the ground, in the crash
Don't confuse it
'Knock over' is used for objects that fall but may not stay down; 'knock down' often means a stronger impact.
Related
- knock down (demolish (a building or structure)) — Another meaning of 'knock down' is 'demolish (a building or structure)'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.