Where "Knock Off" Comes From
The leading theory is nautical, though it's described even by language historians as speculative: it may come from the practice on slave galleys of knocking out a beat to signal a change of oarsmen. The earliest supporting print citation is from William Clark Russell's 1890 novel An Ocean Tragedy: "We were forced to knock off through sheer fatigue."
By the time it reached everyday Australian workplace speech, any grim maritime history had long since faded — "knock off" today just means the working day (or the job) is done.
Source:
"What time do you knock off tonight?"
How Aussies Actually Use It
It's used to ask or state when someone's work day ends, whether that's an office job or a trade.
"Knock-off time" is the standard phrase for the end of the working day.
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