knees-up
(British, informal) A party.
ˈnipsDocumented since 1910s1910sSilenthistorical56 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1918 · no dated citations yet20th centurySee decade cohort →
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(British, informal) A party.
Origin: UK 20th century. From the song "Knees Up Mother Brown" (from at least 1918; published 1938). Suggesting the motions of dancing. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Other words near "knees-up" (K)
knawelknawvshawlknee-bucklerknee-deep in the Big Muddyknee-highkneeloknee-tremblerknepknepparsknickerbocker gloryknickeredknickers
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