knockout

[nok-out]

noun

1. an act or instance of knocking out.

2. the state or fact of being knocked out.

3. a knockout blow.

4. Informal.,  a person or thing overwhelmingly attractive, appealing, or successful.

5. a panel in a casing, can, or box, especially of metal or plastic, so designed that it can readily be removed, as by punching, hammering, or cutting, to provide an opening into the interior.

   a knockout in a junction box.

6. Machinery.,  a device for knocking something loose, as finished work from a lathe chuck.

adjective

1. that knocks out.

   the knockout punch.

knockout

/ ˈnɒkˌaʊt /

noun

1. the act of rendering unconscious

2. a blow that renders an opponent unconscious

3. 1. a competition in which competitors are eliminated progressively

   2. ( as modifier )

      a knockout contest

4. a series of absurd invented games, esp obstacle races, involving physical effort or skill

5. informal,  a person or thing that is overwhelmingly impressive or attractive

   she's a knockout

verb

1. to render unconscious, esp by a blow

2. boxing to defeat (an opponent) by a knockout

3. to destroy, damage, or injure badly

4. to eliminate, esp in a knockout competition

5. informal,  to overwhelm or amaze, esp with admiration or favourable reaction

   I was knocked out by that new song

6. to remove the ashes from (one's pipe) by tapping

Word History and Origins

Origin of knockout¹

1810–20; 1935–40 knockout for def. 4; noun, adj. use of verb phrase knock out

Example Sentences

And in that moment, with the final minutes running down and the Trojans in need of one final knockout blow, here was Miller sprinting all alone, with only the roar of the Coliseum behind him.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Impaired athletes showed significantly higher glymphatic index values at first, but those values fell sharply over time as the number of knockouts increased.

Read more on Science Daily

Six knockout round berths were on the line in Friday's final 11 games of group play in the in-season tournament, in which all games except the final also count in the regular-season standings.

Read more on Barron's

The Lakers, who are 3-0 in West Group B, have already clinched their spot in the knockout round and will secure home-court advantage in the quarterfinals with a win against the Mavericks.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Rangers captain James Tavernier insists his side can still reach the knockout stages of the Europa League despite taking just one point from their opening five fixtures.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• technical knockout