doorknob
To suddenly bring up a time-consuming topic when very little time remains to discuss…(especially psychiatry) To suddenly bring up a time-consuming topic when very little time remains to discuss it, often as a tactic to avoid conversation.
» The doorknob rattled and started to turn.
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(especially psychiatry) To suddenly bring up a time-consuming topic when very little time remains to discuss it, often as a tactic to avoid conversation.
Examples
51 sentencesThe doorknob rattled and started to turn.
He turned the doorknob with his left hand.
ruОн повернул дверную ручку левой рукой. — odexed
He groped for the doorknob in the dark.
ruОн нащупал дверную ручку в темноте. — odexed
Tom tried the doorknob, but it was locked.
Tom tried the doorknob, but it wouldn't turn.
Origin
From door + knob.From door + knob.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
doorknobs, doorknobbing, doorknobbed, doorknobbed| Base form | doorknob · to doorknob |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | doorknobs |
| Present participle | doorknobbing |
| Past simple | doorknobbed |
| Past participle | doorknobbed |
irregular
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.