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Nail vs Knock - What's the difference?

nail | knock | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between nail and knock

is that nail is the thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals while knock is an abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.

As verbs the difference between nail and knock

is that nail is to fix (an object) to another object using a nail while knock is to rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.

nail

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) nail, nayl, (etyl) ).

Noun

(en noun)
  • The thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and toes on humans and some other animals.
  • The basal thickened portion of the anterior wings of certain hemiptera.
  • The terminal horny plate on the beak of ducks, and other allied birds.
  • A spike-shaped metal fastener used for joining wood or similar materials. The nail is generally driven through two or more layers of material by means of impacts from a hammer or other device. It is then held in place by friction.
  • *
  • Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
  • A round pedestal on which merchants once carried out their business, such as the four nails outside .
  • An archaic English unit of length equivalent to 1/20th of an ell or 1/16th of a yard (2.25 inches or 5.715 cm).
  • Derived terms
    * eightpenny nail * fourpenny nail * hangnail * hard as nails * hit the nail on the head * (l) * nail file / nail-file / nailfile * nail polish * (l) * (l) * on the nail * fingernail * rusty nail * sixpenny nail * spit nails * straw nail * tenpenny nail * toenail * twelvepenny nail

    See also

    * claw * talon

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To fix (an object) to another object using a nail.
  • He nailed the placard to the post.
  • To drive a nail.
  • He used the ax head for nailing .
  • To stud or boss with nails, or as if with nails.
  • * Dryden
  • The rivets of your arms were nailed with gold.
  • (slang) To catch.
  • * 2005 , (Plato), Sophist . Translation by Lesley Brown. .
  • we'll nail the sophist to it, if we can get him on that charge;
  • (slang) To expose as a sham.
  • (slang) To accomplish (a task) completely and successfully.
  • I really nailed that test.
  • (slang) To hit (a target) effectively with some weapon.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Tom Fordyce , title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Fly-half Ruaridh Jackson departed early with injury but Chris Paterson nailed a penalty from wide out left to give Scotland an early lead, and Jackson's replacement Dan Parks added three more points with a penalty which skimmed over the crossbar.}}
  • (slang) Of a male, to engage in sexual intercourse with.
  • There’s a benefit gala at the Boston Pops tonight, and... well, I’m trying to nail the flautist.'' - Brian Griffin in the TV series ''Family Guy
  • To spike, as a cannon.
  • (Crabb)
    Synonyms
    * (to engage in sexual intercourse) bang, fuck, pound, screw, shag (British)

    See also

    * (w) * (w) *

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----

    knock

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood
  • I heard a knock on my door.
  • An impact.
  • He took a knock on the head.
  • (figurative) criticism
  • * 2012 , Tom Lamont, How Mumford & Sons became the biggest band in the world'' (in ''The Daily Telegraph , 15 November 2012)[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/nov/15/mumford-sons-biggest-band-world]
  • Since forming in 2007 Mumford & Sons have hard-toured their way to a vast market for throaty folk that's strong on banjo and bass drum. They have released two enormous albums. But, wow, do they take some knocks back home.
  • (cricket) a batsman's innings.
  • He played a slow but sure knock of 35.
  • (automotive) Preignition, a type of abnormal combustion occurring in spark ignition engines caused by self-ignition or the characteristic knocking sound associated with it.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (dated) To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood.
  • Knock on the door and find out if they're home.
  • (dated) To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Master, knock the door hard.
  • (ambitransitive, dated) To bump or impact.
  • I knocked against the table and bruised my leg.
    I accidentally knocked my drink off the bar.
  • * 1900 , L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23
  • "The Silver Shoes," said the Good Witch, "have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things about them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go."
  • (colloquial) To denigrate, undervalue.
  • Don't knock it until you've tried it.
  • (soccer) To pass, kick a ball towards another player.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=January 11 , author=Jonathan Stevenson , title=West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Despite enjoying more than their fair share of possession the visitors did not look like creating anything, with their lack of a killer ball painfully obvious as they harmlessly knocked the ball around outside the home side's box without ever looking like they would hurt them. }}

    Derived terms

    * knock someone's block off * knock someone's socks off

    Derived terms

    * antiknock * knock about * knock around * knock down * knock for a loop * knock it off * knock knock * knock off / knockoff * knock oneself out * knock somebody's socks off * knock out / knockout * knock over * knock up * knocked up * knocker * knocker up * knocking shop * school of hard knocks English onomatopoeias 1000 English basic words