knock about

phr.v. to spend time in a particular place or area without a specific purpose.

phr.v. to frequent or inhabit a particular location in a casual or aimless manner.

“He used to knock about the docks when he was a teenager.”

“Having retired early, he spent most of his afternoons knocking about the local library or the park.”

British English · Informal

phr.v. to travel from place to place without a fixed plan or schedule.

phr.v. to wander or roam across a geographic area without a specific itinerary.

“They spent the summer knocking about Europe with just their backpacks.”

“After finishing university, she spent a year knocking about Southeast Asia before settling into a corporate career.”

British English · Informal

phr.v. to be somewhere nearby or in circulation, even if you cannot see it right now.

phr.v. to be present, available, or in existence within a particular environment.

“There should be a spare set of keys knocking about the house somewhere.”

“Although the technology is old, there are still a few functional models knocking about in second-hand shops.”

British English · Informal

phr.v. to hit someone or something repeatedly or to treat them in a violent way.

phr.v. to mistreat physically or handle roughly; to subject to repeated physical impact.

“The old car had been knocked about a bit over the years.”

“The witness testified that the suspect had been known to knock his associates about during arguments.”

British English · Informal