knock out
To strike or render unconscious
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The boxer knocked out his opponent in the first round.”
“A falling branch knocked out the power line, leaving the whole street in darkness.”
“The anaesthetic swiftly knocked her out, and when she woke, the surgery was already complete.”
- 01
don't knock yourself out
Don't overexert yourself (in doing something that does not require much effort).
- 02
knock down a peg
Synonym of take down a notch.
- 03
knock for a loop
To astonish; to stagger or overwhelm; to confuse or disorient.
- 04
knock on heaven's door
To die or be close to death.
- 05
knock on wood
To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.
- 06
knock oneself out
To go ahead; to do as one pleases; to enjoy oneself; to endeavor very hard at a task.
- 07
knock out of the box
To cause something to be replaced by something else.
- 08
knock some sense into
To reprimand or reform someone vigorously.
Last updated August 10, 2026