knock someone off their perch
To defeat or overcome someone who was in a dominant position.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The underdog finally knocked the champion off his perch.”
“After years of dominating the market, the small startup finally knocked the industry leader off its perch.”
“The unexpected election results served to knock the long-standing political establishment off its perch, signaling a profound shift in the public mood.”
- 01
as if someone owns the place
Alternative form of like someone owns the place.
- 02
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 03
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
- 04
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
- 05
call someone every name in the book
To call someone many abusive names.
- 06
call someone everything but a child of God
To call someone many abusive names.
- 07
catch someone napping
To take advantage of someone's inattention.
- 08
cry someone a river
To weep profusely or excessively in the presence of another person.
Last updated August 10, 2026