Crossword Genius

Knock down boyfriend at front of ship (4,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bowl over

'knock down' is the definition.
(both can mean to topple)

'boyfriend at front of ship' is the wordplay.
'boyfriend' becomes 'lover' (boyfriend is a type of lover).
'at' says to put letters next to each other (I've seen this in other clues).
'front of ship' becomes 'bow' (term for the front of a ship).
'lover' after 'bow' is 'BOWL OVER'.

(Other definitions for bowl over that I've seen before include "Overwhelm with surprise or emotion - at cricket?" , "Knock down" , "wow" , "Slay" , "really impress" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.