knock-up
to make a woman pregnant
TRANSLATION
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STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
This coming Sunday is April 1st, so... Well done!
... whatever definition you chose (a), (b) or (c),...
you are correct!
This interesting English idiom has three different meanings:
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(a) "to quickly prepare something" --------------- is correct !
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EXAMPLE: "The client urgently needs an offer, can you knock-up a proposal by Monday?"
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(b) "to wake some-one up" --------------- is also correct !
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EXAMPLE: "We must make an early start tomorrow, please knock me up at 06.00."
NOTE: This meaning (b) is British, it is generally not known in the US.
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(c) "to make a woman pregnant" --------------- is the third, and most consequential meaning !
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EXAMPLE: "Marilyn was knocked-up by Bill, they got married and moved to New Zealand."
NOTE: This meaning (b) is American, it is generally not known in the Britain.
... whatever definition you chose (a), (b) or (c),...
you are correct!
This interesting English idiom has three different meanings:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) "to quickly prepare something" --------------- is correct !
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EXAMPLE: "The client urgently needs an offer, can you knock-up a proposal by Monday?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(b) "to wake some-one up" --------------- is also correct !
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EXAMPLE: "We must make an early start tomorrow, please knock me up at 06.00."
NOTE: This meaning (b) is British, it is generally not known in the US.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) "to make a woman pregnant" --------------- is the third, and most consequential meaning !
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EXAMPLE: "Marilyn was knocked-up by Bill, they got married and moved to New Zealand."
NOTE: This meaning (b) is American, it is generally not known in the Britain.
Did you
know?
WARNING!!! Take great care using "knock up" with Americans. If you only want to be woken up, you might get seriously misunderstood!
TRUE STORY: A British business friend of mine once said to an American lady acquiantance the evening before a conference "Give me your hotel room number and I'll knock you up at 07.30,... if that's OK?"
