knock up (was Re: HP Haiku for a slow day (PG-13))

[Pigwidgeon]

Doreen: "I thought the British term, "knock-up" meant "to wake up" ?"

That is one meaning, but there are plenty of others. As always I have 
taken the following from the OED. It is usful having such a resource 
at your finger tips.


Defn. for Knock up:
a. trans. To drive upwards, or fasten up, by knocking; spec. in 
Bookbinding, etc. to make even the edges of (a pile of loose sheets) 
by striking them on a table; in Bootmaking, to cut or flatten the 
edges of the upper after its attachment to the insole. 

b. intr. To be driven up so as to strike something. to knock up 
against, to come into collision with; fig. to meet with, come across, 
encounter. 

c. trans. To make up (hastily or off-hand), to arrange summarily. 

d. To put together hastily; = 16c. Also, to prepare (food) quickly 
(U.S.). 

e. To get or accumulate by labour or exertion; spec. in Cricket, to 
run up (a score), make (so many runs) by striking the ball. colloq. 

f. To arouse by knocking at the door. (This sense is not current in 
the U.S.) 

g. To overcome or make ill with fatigue; to exhaust, tire out. (Esp. 
in pass.) 

h. intr. To become exhausted or tired out; to become unserviceable; 
to break down. 

i. trans. To break up, destroy, put an end to. 

j. To make (a woman) pregnant; (less commonly) to have sexual 
intercourse with (a woman). slang (orig. U.S.). 



Defn. for knock-up:
n. A practice or casual game at lawn tennis, squash rackets, etc. 

adj. Designating a knock-up: see above.