From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtake a knocktake a knockinformalUNLUCKYPROBLEM to have some bad luck or trouble Clive’s taken quite a few hard knocks lately. → knock
Examples from the Corpus
take a knock• The 23-year-old was on as early as the eighth minute when Andy Myers hobbled off after taking a knock.• Your faith in yourself has taken a knock.• Micky Hazard took a knock at Newcastle and will have a late check.• Skipper, Andy Melville took a knock last Saturday, but should be fit.• Wallace took a knock and looked like he was ready to come off after about 75 mins. 