phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

knock out

to render unconscious

What it means

To hit someone hard enough to make them lose consciousness, often in boxing. It can also mean to eliminate someone from a competition, to impress someone greatly, or to produce something quickly.

Examples

  • The champion knocked out his opponent in the third round.
  • Our team was knocked out of the tournament in the semi-finals.
  • That movie's special effects completely knocked me out.
  • She knocked out a first draft of the report in two hours.

Where it comes from

Separable: 'knock him out' or 'knock out the competition'. The noun 'knockout' (one word) means a stunning person or thing, or a boxing victory.

Related phrasal verbs

#run over#wear out#break down#pass away

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