knock back

Verb

knock back (third-person singular simple present knocks back, present participle knocking back, simple past and past participle knocked back)

1. (transitive) To stun; to surprise.
   • I was knocked back by the sheer size of the hall.
2. (transitive) To drink an alcoholic beverage swiftly or often; to finish a beverage.
   • My friends were already knocking back drinks when I arrived at the bar.
3. (transitive) To push or strike someone or something backward with force.
   • The impact of the collision knocked him back several feet.
4. (transitive) To withstand or endure a difficult situation or setback.
   • Despite facing numerous challenges, she managed to knock them back and keep moving forward.
5. (transitive) To achieve a significant accomplishment or success.
   • Their latest album really knocked it back and received critical acclaim.
6. (Australia, UK, transitive) To reject; to refuse.
   • How many job seekers did you knock back today?
7. (transitive) To press or knead (dough) so as to remove air bubbles.