knock around (also knock about British English) phrasal verb informal (see also knock)

1. HIT SOMEBODY knock somebody around to hit someone several times:
My father used to knock me around.

2. RELAX knock around (something) to spend time somewhere, without doing anything very serious or important Synonym : hang around:
On Saturdays I knock around with my friends.
We spent the day just knocking around the house.

3. TRAVEL knock around something to travel to different places Synonym : kick around:
For a couple of years we knocked around the Mediterranean.

4. IDEAS knock something ↔ around to discuss and think about an idea, plan etc with other people:
We’ve been knocking around a few ideas.

5. BALL knock something around British English to play a game with a ball, but not in a serious way Synonym : kick about

6. BE SOMEWHERE British English if something or someone is knocking around, it is somewhere but you are not sure exactly where:
Is there a screwdriver knocking about anywhere?

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

knock around
mistreat someone
The boy was sent home from school for knocking around some other members of the class.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

knock around
{v.} To travel without a plan; go where you please.
After he graduated from college, Joe knocked about for a year seeing the country before he went to work in his father's business.
Compare: KICK AROUND.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

knock someone around
mistreat someone
The boy was sent home from school for knocking around some other members of the class.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲