What is "knock up"

1660s in sense of "arouse by knocking at the door," from knock (v.). However it is little used in this sense in American English, where the phrase means "get a woman pregnant" (1813), possibly ultimately from knock "to copulate with" (1590s; compare slang knocking-shop "brothel," 1860).\n\nKnocked up in the United States, amongst females, the phrase is equivalent to being enciente, so that Englishmen often unconsciously commit themselves when amongst our Yankee cousins. [John Camden Hotten, "The Slang Dictionary," London, 1860]\n\n

vb. 1 (context colloquial English) To put together, fabricate, or assemble, particularly if done hastily or temporarily. See also (term: knock together). (from 16th c.) 2 (context British English) To awaken (someone) as by knocking at the door; rouse; call; summon; also, to go door-to-door on election day to persuade a candidate's supporters to go to the polling station and vote. See also (term: knocker up). (from 17th c.) 3 (context dated English) To exhaust; wear out; weary; beat; tire out; to fatigue until unable to do more. (from 18th c.) 4 (context dated intransitive English) To become exhausted or worn out; to fail of strength; to become wearied, as with labor; to give out. (from 18th c.) 5 (context slang English) To impregnate, especially out of wedlock. See '''knocked up'''. (from 19th c.) 6 (context racket sports intransitive English) To gently hit the ball back and forth before a tennis match, as practice or warm-up, and to gauge the state of the playing surface, lighting, etc. See '''knock-up'''. (from 19th c.) 7 (context bookbinding English) To make even at the edges, or to shape into book form.

v. make pregnant; "He impregnated his wife again" [syn: impregnate, bang up, prang up]