knuckle (redirected from knuckles)

be near the knuckle (British, informal)

if a joke or a remark is near the knuckle, it is about sex in a way that some people find offensive. Some of his jokes were a bit near the knuckle and, unfortunately, I was watching the show with my parents.

See also: near

a knuckle sandwich (humorous)

if you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you hit them. You'll get a knuckle sandwich if you don't shut up.

See also: sandwich

a rap across/on/over the knuckles

a punishment which is not very severe but which warns you not to behave that way again. The company received a rap over the knuckles from the Food and Drug Administration. Her remarks earned her a sharp rap across the knuckles from the Prime Minister.

See also: across, over, rap

rap someone's knuckles

a rap across/on/over the knuckles - a punishment which is not very severe but which warns you not to behave that way again. She rapped my knuckles and sent me on my way.

See also: rap

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knuckle down

to work hard. You're going to have to knuckle down to improve your grades if you want to get into a good college. Volunteers really knuckled down and cleaned up the town after the storm.

See also: down

knuckle under (to someone/something)

to accept unwillingly what someone or something demands. We want to reach an agreement, but we won't knuckle under to their demands.

give in (to someone/something)