Etymology Journal ยท K
Knock it off
Meaning
- A sharp command to stop doing something annoying or inappropriate. It is usually shouted by a frustrated authority figure.
Authoritative, sharp
Used in a sentence
- Knock it off, you two, or no dessert for either of you.
- The teacher told the class to knock it off when the talking got too loud.
- I need you to knock it off with the pranks while I am trying to work.
The backstory
Originally from military slang in the mid-20th century, it was used to order an immediate end to a training exercise or combat drill.
Heard in
Nationwide
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