out on one's feet
Standing erect but not consciously aware of one's surroundings, or only minimally aware, and having little or no ability to control one's bodily actions, as a result of physical injury or exhaustion.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He worked all night and is now out on his feet.”
“You look out on your feet after that double shift at the warehouse.”
“After running the marathon in the heat, the exhausted athlete was out on his feet and needed help to reach the finish line.”
“The boxer took a heavy hit in the final round and stayed standing, but he was clearly out on his feet and could not defend himself.”
“Following three consecutive days of emergency surgery, the weary doctor stood out on his feet, barely able to process the nurse's urgent report.”
Derived from the sport of boxing, the expression describes a fighter who has been rendered too stunned to continue effective combat but remains upright rather than collapsing to the canvas. The phrase preserves the image of the technical survivor whose vertical posture is a matter of anatomical habit rather than conscious participation.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026