knock about

traîner

Se trouver quelque part à proximité, souvent oublié ou sans être rangé.

En anglais simple : 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?

Comment l'utiliser : be knocking about somewhere (There are some spare batteries knocking about in the drawer.)

Synonymes : lie around

Expressions courantes : knock about somewhere, knock about the house

tabasser, maltraiter

Frapper quelqu’un à plusieurs reprises ou le traiter avec violence.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : knock someone about (The gang knocked him about before taking his wallet.)

Synonymes : beat up, batter, mistreat

Expressions courantes : knock about someone, knock about something

bourlinguer, circuler

Aller d’un endroit à l’autre sans but précis, ou passer d’une personne à l’autre.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : knock about somewhere (He knocked about Europe for a year.)

Synonymes : roam, wander, circulate

Expressions courantes : knock about town, knock about Europe

traîner avec, fréquenter

Passer du temps avec quelqu’un en amis.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : knock about with someone (She used to knock about with my sister.)

Synonymes : hang out, socialize

Expressions courantes : knock about with someone, knock about together

traîner, flâner

Passer du temps dans un endroit en faisant tranquillement des choses non prévues.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : knock about somewhere (We knocked about the house all Sunday.)

Synonymes : hang around, potter about

Expressions courantes : knock about home, knock about the garden

avaler d’un trait, vider

Boire entièrement une boisson, généralement très vite.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : knock something about (He knocked his beer about before leaving.)

Synonymes : knock back, down, finish

Expressions courantes : knock about a drink, knock about a pint