knock off

1 to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end <knock it off!> Synonyms break, break off, break up, can [slang], cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, give over, halt, stop, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut offRelated Words complete, conclude, finish; close (down); deactivate; block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem; call, suspend; arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch (or staunch), stunt, suppress, turn back; pause, stay, suspend; abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuffNear Antonyms carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on; advance, proceed, progress; actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

2 to stop doing (something) permanently <decided it was time to knock off telling fantastic fibs about her family background> Synonyms abandon, discontinue, drop, give up, quit, lay off (of), pack (up or in)Related Words break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, end, expire, finish, halt, leave off, shut off; pause, taper off; throw up; round (off or out), terminate, wind up, wrap upNear Antonyms go, run on; hang in, hang on, hold on, persevere, persist; follow through (with); renew, reopen, restart, resume; preserve, stay; begin, commence, startAntonyms carry on, continue, keep, keep up, maintain

3 to take away (an amount or number) from a total <a proposal to knock 10 cents off the gasoline tax> Synonyms abate, deduct, subtract, take offRelated Words decrease, diminish, discount, downsize, dwindle, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce; abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittleNear Antonyms adjoin, annex, append; complement, supplement; enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify; aggrandize, amplify, augment, beef (up), boost, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, multiply, raiseAntonyms add, tack (on)

4 to remove valuables from (a place) unlawfully <Bonnie and Clyde coped with the Great Depression by knocking off banks> Synonyms burglarize, burgle, rob, knock over, rip off, steal (from), take off [slang]Related Words ransack, rifle; despoil, loot, pillage, plunder, ravish, sack, spoil, strip; bleed, break in, cheat, chisel, cozen, defraud, exploit, fleece, gyp, hustle, mulct, pluck, rook, shortchange, skin, squeeze, stick, sting, swindle; hold up, mug, roll, stick up

5 to put to death deliberately <various assassins have tried to knock off the dictator over the years> Synonyms assassinate, bump off, croak [slang], dispatch, do in, execute, get, ice [slang], murder, liquidate, neutralize, off [slang], put away, rub out, slay, snuff, take out, terminate, whack [slang]Related Words blow away, shoot, shoot down; blot out, carry off, claim, cut down, destroy, fell, kill, smite, zap; butcher, massacre, mow (down), slaughter; annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, exterminate, wipe outNear Antonyms animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive