knock out
Idioms-
Also, knock out cold . Render unconscious by a blow or some other means. For example, It was just a swinging door, but it knocked her out , or Just one of those sleeping pills can knock you out cold . [Late 1500s]
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Make tired, exhaust, as in That sightseeing tour knocked me out .
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Render useless or inoperative, as in The storm knocked out the power .
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See knock off , def. 2.
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See knock oneself out .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These are days when you knock out a bunch of important personal tasks that you’ve been putting off, like scheduling key appointments, going for your annual physical and paying your bills.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Nor does the Minnesota Wild defenseman hit the hardest or knock out the most teeth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
Rebounding from dreadfully depressing injury news to knock out the NBA’s best rebounding team?
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
League One side Port Vale knock out Premier League team Sunderland to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026
“But I still don’t see why an asteroid would knock out the electricity. Or why Mami would be called to the hospital.”
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
