knock about

andar por ahí, estar por ahí

Encontrarse en algún lugar cercano, a menudo olvidado o sin guardar en su sitio.

En inglés sencillo: To be somewhere nearby, often forgotten or without a proper place.

• My keys are knocking about somewhere.
• We had an old radio knocking about in the garage.
• Are there any pencils knocking about in your bag?

Cómo se usa: be knocking about somewhere (There are some spare batteries knocking about in the drawer.)

Sinónimos: lie around

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about somewhere, knock about the house

golpear, maltratar

Golpear repetidamente a alguien o tratarlo con violencia.

En inglés sencillo: To hit someone repeatedly or treat them roughly and violently.

• The bullies knocked him about.
• He was arrested for knocking his partner about.
• Don’t knock that old furniture about; it breaks easily.

Cómo se usa: knock someone about (The gang knocked him about before taking his wallet.)

Sinónimos: beat up, batter, mistreat

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about someone, knock about something

vagar, circular

Moverse de un sitio a otro sin un plan concreto o pasar de una persona a otra.

En inglés sencillo: To move around without a clear plan, or pass from person to person.

• We knocked about town all afternoon.
• She knocked about abroad before settling in London.
• That story has been knocking about for years.

Cómo se usa: knock about somewhere (He knocked about Europe for a year.)

Sinónimos: roam, wander, circulate

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about town, knock about Europe

juntarse, pasar el rato

Pasar tiempo con alguien como amigos.

En inglés sencillo: To spend time with someone as friends.

• We knocked about together at school.
• Who do you knock about with these days?
• He stopped knocking about with that crowd last summer.

Cómo se usa: knock about with someone (She used to knock about with my sister.)

Sinónimos: hang out, socialize

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about with someone, knock about together

pasar el rato

Estar en un lugar haciendo cosas tranquilas, sin planes concretos.

En inglés sencillo: To spend time in a place doing relaxed, unplanned activities.

• I like to knock about the garden.
• We knocked about the beach until sunset.
• He spent Saturday knocking about in his garage.

Cómo se usa: knock about somewhere (We knocked about the house all Sunday.)

Sinónimos: hang around, potter about

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about home, knock about the garden

apurarse, beber de un trago

Terminar una bebida, normalmente bebiéndola deprisa.

En inglés sencillo: To drink all of a drink, usually quickly.

• He knocked his drink about.
• They knocked a few pints about before supper.
• She knocked her whisky about and reached for her coat.

Cómo se usa: knock something about (He knocked his beer about before leaving.)

Sinónimos: knock back, down, finish

Expresiones frecuentes: knock about a drink, knock about a pint