Decrease and Knock

decrease

A change downward.
- usage: "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided"; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
- synonyms: lessening, drop-off
A process of becoming smaller or shorter.
- synonyms: decrement
The amount by which something decreases.
- synonyms: decrement
The act of decreasing or reducing something.
- synonyms: diminution, reduction, step-down

Decrease in size, extent, or range.
- usage: "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
- synonyms: diminish, lessen, fall
Make smaller.
- usage: "He decreased his staff"
- synonyms: lessen, minify

(v.t.) To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
(v.) A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
(n.) To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc. or in strength, quality or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
(v.) The wane of the moon.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

knock

The sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing. )
- usage: "the knocking grew louder"
- synonyms: knocking
Negative criticism.
- synonyms: roast
A vigorous blow.
- usage: "the sudden knock floored him"; "he took a bash right in his face"; "he got a bang on the head"
- synonyms: bash, bang, smash, belt
A bad experience.
- usage: "the school of hard knocks"
The act of hitting vigorously.
- usage: "he gave the table a whack"
- synonyms: belt, rap, whack, whang

(v.) ()
- synonyms: strike hard
Rap with the knuckles.
- usage: "knock on the door"
Knock against with force or violence.
- usage: "My car bumped into the tree"
- synonyms: bump
Make light, repeated taps on a surface.
- usage: "he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently"
- synonyms: tap, rap, pink
Sound like a car engine that is firing too early.
- usage: "the car pinged when I put in low-octane gasoline"; "The car pinked when the ignition was too far retarded"
- synonyms: pink, ping
Find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws.
- usage: "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food-it's free"
- synonyms: criticize, criticise, pick apart

(n.) A stroke, as on a door for admittance; a rap.
(n.) A blow; a stroke with something hard or heavy; a jar.
(v.i.) To strike or beat with something hard or heavy; to rap; as, to knock with a club; to knock on the door.
(v.t.) To strike for admittance; to rap upon, as a door.
(v.i.) To drive or be driven against something; to strike against something; to clash; as, one heavy body knocks against another.
(v.t.) To strike with something hard or heavy; to move by striking; to drive (a thing) against something; as, to knock a ball with a bat; to knock the head against a post; to knock a lamp off the table.
(v.i.) To practice evil speaking or fault-finding; to criticize habitually or captiously.
(v.t.) To impress strongly or forcibly; to astonish; to move to admiration or applause.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary