water king— = king of the sea 1: Lord Zeus holds the starry hall on Olympus; he has given the briny sea to his brother [Poseidon] the water king . kiss it off • kiss off kiss it off—(coll.) not deal with smth.; put it off: Every hostage negotiation includes tense moments when one doubts the other side is operating in good faith and is tempted to kiss it off . kiss off —is used to rudely tell a person to go away (and stop being annoying): That was before the time when women would have told him to kiss off in public. It wouldn’t go unchallenged these days. knight of the pen • knight of the pencil knight of the pen—(liter. or joc.) a writer or a journalist: Kolosimo became the knight of the pen in the sixties and sev- enties. Millions of readers were immersed in the mysteries of the universe by reading his books. knight of the pencil —(UK derog.) 1. a bookmaker: We have mentioned the knights of the pencil . Bookmakers are not per- mitted to take up positions at will on racecourses under Grey- hound Racing Association jurisdiction. 2. an artist; a car- toonist: The shameless knights of the pencil found it easy to caricature the spare, bent figure and bushy locks when getting off jokes about professors. knock heads together • put heads together knock heads together—get people to stop quarrelling and behave sensibly by taking firm action: An elected mayor is empowered to knock heads together and persuade people who traditionally don’t talk to each other to do so. put heads together—(also: lay heads together) have a discussion in order to solve a problem, etc.: The present plans are far too expensive. I think we should put our heads together and see if we can somehow make them cheaper. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase get one’s head together—(coll.) get mentally organized; start to perform efficiently (also: get one’s act together): It has taken me over ten years to get my head together enough to put this down in writing, but I have carried it in my heart. knock oneself dead • knock someone dead knock oneself dead —(coll.) work very hard; make an extra effort to accomplish smth. (also: knock oneself out): In the first six weeks on the job I hardly spent one day in Pennsylvania. …I had been all over the country, knocking myself dead . knock someone dead—(coll., also: knock someone out) put on a stunning performance; have a powerful emotional effect on a person: This band is going to do great tonight. We’re going to knock them dead . knock someone off • knock someone out knock someone off—1. make a person fall with a push: You’re not safe on that ladder; a branch could knock you off . 2. (Sport) defeat a competitor: If he can knock off the next two opponents, he could get into the last part of the competition. 3. (sl.) kill a person: I don’t want to knock the old man off ; can’t we just tie him up to keep him quiet? Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase knock someone off his feet1. = knock someone off 1: The sudden explosion of light, power, and thunder knocked me off my feet and I landed hard on my back. 2. (coll.) have a powerful emotional effect on a person: In addition to the per- fect weather, the smell of the trees and good country air nearly knocked me off my feet . knock someone out—1. make a person unconscious by hitting him: Scott’s reputation is excellent, and the managers fear that he has been knocked out and robbed. 2. = knock someone off 2: Our team got through to the second part of the competition before they were knocked out . 3. (coll.) tire a person very much (through overwork): Hours of gardening in the sun have quite knocked me out . Cf.: knock oneself out—(coll.) work very hard; make an extra effort to accomplish smth.: We thank the one per- son who knocked himself out making sure we enjoyed our- selves. 4. (coll., also: knock someone dead) put on a stunning performance; have a powerful emotional effect on a person: I hadn’t heard of her show beforehand, but watched it imme- diately and she knocked me out . knock someone on the head • knock someone’s head off knock someone on the head—1. strike smb. on the head: Cook knocked him on the head instantly; this is what the En- glish call a settler…. 2. kill a person by a blow on the head: Our prisoners beg at us, as a mercy, to knock them on the head . knock someone’s head off—(sl.) 1. beat a person by way of punishment (usually used as a threat): He told me to get out of there or he would knock my head off . 2. “beat” or surpass an opponent: They could take players … and motivate them to go out on the field and knock someone’s head off . knock someone up (UK) • knock someone up (U.S.) knock someone up (UK)—(coll.) 1. wake a person (by knock- ing on the door of his room): Sorry to knock you up at this hour, Holmes, but Mrs. Hudson has only just knocked me up. 2. tire a person very much (through overwork, etc.): Mar- ianne went there to nurse him and was several nights without sleep, which quite knocked her up . knock someone up (U.S.)—(coarse sl.) make a woman preg- nant: And what would you tell the child when they ask who their father was? “Oh, just some guy I let knock me up at a party?” knock something off • knock something out knock something off—1. make smth. fall with a push: Just when I put the glass safely down on the table, the cat jumped up and knocked it off . 2. (coll.) write smth. quickly and care- lessly: He could knock off a poem in half an hour. 3. (coll.) put a work out of hand; complete smth.: I’ve a pile of work to knock off before I can take my holiday. 4. (coll.) discontinue smth.; give up (work): He at once knocked off painting for the day. 5. (sl.) steal smth.: Where did he get all those watches? Did he knock them off ? knock something out—1. remove smth. with a sharp blow: Knock the ash out before you refill your pipe. 2. destroy smth. completely: Our soldiers had orders to knock out the enemy guns. 3. (coll.) play music roughly or unskillfully: He can’t read music but he can knock out a tune on the piano. know a thing or two • know all the answers know a thing or two —be quite competent about how to deal with a particular problem: Hopefully he’s the type of rancher who knows a thing or two about how to keep the soil rich and the cows fat. know all the answers—(also: have all the answers) 1. be extremely knowledgeable; be fully informed: In serials the detective always wins, usually escapes danger, and knows all the answers . 2. is often used with the implication of over- confidence: Johnson’s critics saw him as an extremely arrogant man who thought he knew all the answers and was unwilling to make any accommodation. know a trick or two • know all the tricks of the trade know a trick or two—be quite shrewd about how to deal kiss it off – 208 –