From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishknock around (also knock about British English) phrasal verb informal1 HIThit somebody knock somebody around to hit someone several times My father used to knock me around.2 SPEND TIMErelax knock around (something) to spend time somewhere, without doing anything very serious or important SYN hang around On Saturdays I knock around with my friends. We spent the day just knocking around the house.3 TRAVELtravel knock around something to travel to different places SYN kick around For a couple of years we knocked around the Mediterranean.4 DISCUSSideas knock something ↔ around to discuss and think about an idea, plan etc with other people We’ve been knocking around a few ideas.5 PLAY A GAME OR SPORTball knock something around British English to play a game with a ball, but not in a serious way SYN kick about6 HEREbe somewhere British English if something or someone is knocking around, it is somewhere but you are not sure exactly where Is there a screwdriver knocking about anywhere? → knock→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
knock around• And after knocking around for a decade he came to rest at his alma mater.• The apartment never seemed more cramped with just the two of us knocking around in it.• Like Jitters, she had knocked around the world a bit and wound up in Dead Rat.• Peter: On Saturday I knock around with me mates.• He just knocked around with some very funny looking women.knock around (something)• Each new copy must be made from raw materials, smaller building blocks knocking around.• And after knocking around for a decade he came to rest at his alma mater.• It would have been inconceivable for exchange control to be tossed around and knocked around in Cabinet.• The apartment never seemed more cramped with just the two of us knocking around in it.• Like Jitters, she had knocked around the world a bit and wound up in Dead Rat.• He was fined $ 5,000 and placed on probation for 90 days after knocking around Tony Stewart's race car.• Peter: On Saturday I knock around with me mates.• He just knocked around with some very funny looking women.knock around something• Each new copy must be made from raw materials, smaller building blocks knocking around.• And after knocking around for a decade he came to rest at his alma mater.• It would have been inconceivable for exchange control to be tossed around and knocked around in Cabinet.• The apartment never seemed more cramped with just the two of us knocking around in it.• Like Jitters, she had knocked around the world a bit and wound up in Dead Rat.• He was fined $ 5,000 and placed on probation for 90 days after knocking around Tony Stewart's race car.• Peter: On Saturday I knock around with me mates.• He just knocked around with some very funny looking women. 