cnocian

• cnucian

From Proto-Germanic *knukōną. Cognate with Middle High German knochen (“to nudge; prod; slap”), Old Norse knoka (“to knock; thump”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkno.ki.ɑn/

cnocian

1. (intransitive) To knock (rap one's knuckles against something)

   Cnoca on þā duru and ġeseoh ġif hīe æt hām sind.

   Knock on the door and see if they're home.

   Iċ eom sē þe cnocaþ.

   I am the one who knocks.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "On the Festival of St. Peter the Apostle"

     Hē cnocode æt þǣre dura.

     He knocked at the door.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "On the Festival of St. Peter the Apostle"

     Petrus cnocode forþ oþ þæt hīe hine inn lēton.

     Peter kept knocking until they let him in.

2. (transitive) To knock on something

   Cnoca þā duru hearde.

   Knock on the door hard.

   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Luke 13:25

     Þanne se hīredes ealdor ingǣþ and his duru beclȳst, and ġē standaþ þǣr ūte and þā duru cnociaþ, and cweðaþ, "Dryhten, ātȳn ūs," þanne cwiþ hē tō ēow, "Ne cann iċ ēow; nāt iċ hwanon ġē sind."

     When the master of the house goes in and shuts the door, and you stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open to us," then he will say to you, "I don't know you; I don't know where you're from."

3. To hit, strike
4. To pound

• Middle English: cnokien, knoken, knocken
  • Scots: knok
  • English: knock