English
knock around
From knock + around.
Proto-Indo-European *gnew- ‘to squeeze, pinch, ball up’
…
Proto-Germanic *knukōną ‘to knock’
Proto-West Germanic *knokōn
Old English cnocian ‘to knock, pound on, beat’
Middle English knokken
English knock
Latin rotundus ‘round’
Late Latin retundus ‘round’
Old French reont ‘round’
Middle English round ‘circle’
Middle English around
English around
Today it means
verb Synonym of knock about.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / knock around