out cold

Idioms and Phrases

Also, out for the count ; out like a light . Unconscious; also, asleep. For example, He crashed into the wall and was out cold , or Willie punched him too hard, and he was out for the count or Don't call Jane; she's out like a light by ten every night . The adjective cold refers to the lack of heat in a dead body and has been used to mean “unconscious” since the second half of the 1800s. The first variant comes from boxing, where a fighter who is knocked down must get up before the referee counts to ten or be declared defeated; it dates from about 1930. The last variant alludes to turning out a light and dates from the first half of the 1900s.

Example Sentences

Another unconventional character is Gudetama, or "lazy egg", who is living with depression and fires out cold one-liners that reflect dark realities of life.

From BBC

In some cases, officers recommended for firing by the chief have been allowed to keep their jobs even though they were found to have violated department policy by lying about physical altercations, including one in which an officer knocked a woman out cold.

From Los Angeles Times

Some found that shocking but that's how it is when a fighter gets knocked out cold.

From BBC

"I was knocked out cold and then after a couple of minutes you come around," he says.

From BBC

Uncle Ty’s knocked out cold on our living-room sofa.

From Literature