knockbackn.
/ˈnɒkbak/, U.S. /ˈnɑkˌbæk/, Australian English /ˈnɔkbæk/, New Zealand English /ˈnɒkbɛk/ dialect, and Australian and New Zealand colloquial.
A refusal, a rebuff.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hindering completely or preventing > [noun] > a check or rebuff
rebuke?a1513
counterbuff1579
damp1584
check?c1600
turnagain1630
rebuff1672
knock1898
knockback1898
1898 Evesham Jrnl. 21 May 7/1 He..objected to the powers of the guardians being relegated to the officers. It was a knock-back.
1902 Eng. Dial. Dict. III. 478/2 It was a nasty reply—a complete knock-back.
1919 W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 31 Knock-back, a refusal.
1933 Bulletin (Sydney) 18 Jan. 17 I sought casual work... Result, six flat knockbacks.
1941 K. Tennant Battlers xvii. 182 She could take a ‘knock-back’ as though it didn't matter.
1943 F. Sargeson in Penguin New Writing 17 56 And I said to myself, well, a knock~back from one of yous isn't going to make me lose any sleep.
1960 N. Hilliard Maori Girl ii. xiv. 161 She had mentioned the knock-back from the Tallahassee Milk Bar.
1962 Woman 31 Mar. 18/3 He [an Australian] had had his share of knockbacks. Including a daddy of a one from Belle herself.
1972 Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 9 Jan. 5/2 When he lead[s] the conversation..on to Jesus and Christianity we don't get any knockbacks.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1976; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1898