What it means
A knockback is a flat-out refusal that leaves you a bit winded. You’ll get one from a job application, a bank loan, a landlord, or a date that fizzles. It’s more than a simple no, it’s that little sting that makes you rethink your chat for a minute afterwards, then crack on anyway.
Usage examples
"Applied for that bar job, got a knockback. Manager was all cheers mate, we’ll be in touch. I wasn’t, so I nipped next door for a pint."
"It is the weekend, leave the laptop, let your hair down for once."
"After exams we all let our hair down and danced till the sun came up."
"Got a proper knockback from the letting agent. One look at my payslips and that was me launched back onto Rightmove."
"I asked her out, got a soft knockback, then spent ten minutes pretending I only meant as mates anyway."
Where it comes from
Goes back to when women kept their hair pinned up in elaborate styles all day, only letting it down in private at the end of the evening to finally relax. Letting your hair down meant dropping the formality and being yourself. Now anyone can do it, no pins required, it just means cut loose and have a proper good time.
Editors of this term
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