knock-off — an imitation or copy of something, especially an inexpensive copy of an expensive product
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an imitation or copy of something, especially an inexpensive copy of an expensive product
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈnɑːk ɔːf/
Example Sentences
- My mom bought a Gucci knock-off and bragged about her 'designer bag' to all the neighbors.
- The factory was shut down for producing knock-offs of famous smartphone brands.
- When the boss said we could knock off at 3 PM on Friday, everyone cheered like we'd won the lottery.
knock-off
NOUN[/ˈnɑːk ɔːf/]
an imitation or copy of something, especially an inexpensive copy of an expensive product
an imitation or copy of something, especially an inexpensive copy of an expensive product
Shake off the knock-off and take off!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Knock-off originated from the phrasal verb 'knock off', combining 'knock' (to strike) and 'off' (away/down), literally meaning to remove something by striking or dropping it. By the early 20th century, it extended to mean 'to stop work or cease an activity', and from the 1960s onward it acquired the sense of 'to produce counterfeit or imitation goods'.
Breakdown
knock (to strike or hit) + off (away, down, or removed). The morphological pairing creates the sense of forcefully removing or completing an action, which metaphorically evolved to describe both cessation of work and the quick, simplified production of imitations.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom bought a Gucci knock-off and bragged about her 'designer bag' to all the neighbors.”
“The factory was shut down for producing knock-offs of famous smartphone brands.”
“When the boss said we could knock off at 3 PM on Friday, everyone cheered like we'd won the lottery.”
“This knock-off watch looks exactly like a Rolex, but it stops working every Tuesday.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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