knees-up

n, pl knees-ups

1. (Dancing) a boisterous dance involving the raising of alternate knees

2. a lively noisy party or celebration, esp one with dancing

[C20: from the song "Knees up Mother Brown" to which the dance is performed]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Translations

knees-up

[ˈniːzʌp] N (knees-ups (pl)) (Brit) (hum) → baile m, fiesta f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

knees-up

n (Brit inf: = dance) → Tanz m; (= party) → Fete f, → Party f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

knees-up

[ˈniːzʌp] n (Brit) to have a knees-up (old) (to dance) → fare quattro salti; (drink) → farsi una bevuta

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in periodicals archive ?

Lynne Hassell, organising the right regal knees-up in Royal Road, said up to 150 people would be joining in the party.

PARTY TIME AS MORE STREETS LAY ON A BASH

Mind you, she should salt a couple of grand away for hangover cures in March, because a week at the Festival, seven days at the World Cup and an Essex girls' knees-up to end all knees-ups at her sister's battle cruiser are going to make it one hell of a month.

Alastair Down on Friday: Carol the gambler proves no mug with Rolls win

After that I've got a burlesque Christmas party, a funky Sixties soul Christmas party, an all-girl DJ party, and a Hogmanay knees-up.

Lucy Sweet: Forget a season, life is just one big party for me

He would not have been hired for any annual dinner, anywhere - except possibly a DUP knees-up.

Politicians are comical but not very amusing; CIARAN MCKEOWN The Piper of Peace

Tom Greatrex, Labour's Shadow Energy Minister, said: "Consumers will rightly be outraged at the news that Ofgem has seen fit to blow PS5,000 on a knees-up. Ofgem has failed to stand up to the big energy companies."

OFGEM PARTY BILL FURY

Now the port with the longest drought in Ulster history is planning a Christmas knees-up to end all knees-ups.

VILLAGE `DRY' FOR 200 YEARS GETS IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

It features near the top of the list for many couples planning their pre-wedding knees-ups.

BANIDORM; SUN SETS ON HOLIDAY RESORT'S STAG AND HEN DOS; Groom's shock after travel agents warn of crackdown pain in Spain

Because, according to David Bentley, Russians will be far more interested in karaoke bar knees-ups than tear-ups in the streets.

'RUSSIANS PREFER KARAOKE TO TEAR-UPS'

Party-loving Grace Jones - nicknamed Amazing Grace by her family - celebrated the milestone by having two knees-ups.

Grace hits 111 on nightly tot of whisky

THE old proverb about knees-ups in breweries - or something like that - has been around for so long that people are a bit scared of organising them.

Spring beer festival at landmark city site

It secured a place in my heart when it became the first place in Aber to present a proper cocktail list, but since then we've celebrated birthdays, engagements and even had pre-wedding knees-ups here.

From Aber with love... It's difficult to get a table at Baravin in Aberystwyth - but well worth the wait, the Taste Team found out

He seems on permanent leave, flitting from New York jollies and Las Vegas knees-ups to front seat at rugby internationals.