knocking out

Verb

knock out (third-person singular simple present knocks out, present participle knocking out, simple past and past participle knocked out)

1. (transitive) To strike or bump (someone or something) out.
   • I accidentally knocked out the glass in my picture frame.
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To render unconscious, as by a blow to the head.
   • The boxer knocked out his opponent in the third round.
3. (idiomatic, informal, transitive) To put to sleep.
   • The allergy pill knocked him out for a good three hours.
4. (idiomatic, informal, intransitive) To fall asleep, especially suddenly.
   • That's a put-you-straight-to-sleep book if there ever was one, and I knocked right out after two paragraphs.2014, D. G. Driver, Cry of the Sea, page 61
5. (idiomatic, informal, transitive) To exhaust.
   • Running errands all day really knocked him out.
6. (idiomatic, informal, transitive) To impress, surpass or overwhelm (someone).

See all 15 meanings of knock out