knock the stuffing out of
To cause (someone, a team) to lose energy and confidence.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That sudden loss really knocked the stuffing out of him.”
“The team played well, but the early goal against them knocked the stuffing out of their confidence.”
“The unexpected rejection of his research proposal knocked the stuffing out of his ambition, leaving him to question his entire career path.”
- 01
beat the stuffing out of
To beat very severely.
- 02
don't knock yourself out
Don't overexert yourself (in doing something that does not require much effort).
- 03
knock down a peg
Synonym of take down a notch.
- 04
knock for a loop
To astonish; to stagger or overwhelm; to confuse or disorient.
- 05
knock on heaven's door
To die or be close to death.
- 06
knock on wood
To take a customary action to ward off some misfortune that is believed to be attracted by a presumptuous statement.
- 07
knock oneself out
To go ahead; to do as one pleases; to enjoy oneself; to endeavor very hard at a task.
- 08
knock out
To strike or render unconscious
Last updated August 10, 2026