knock out

1. Render useless or inoperative, as in The storm knocked out the power .

2. See knock oneself out .

3. Make tired, exhaust, as in That sightseeing tour knocked me out .

4. See knock off , def. 2.

5. Also, knock out cold . Render unconscious by a blow or some other means. For example, It was just a swinging door, but it knocked her out , or Just one of those sleeping pills can knock you out cold . [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

In Snohomish County, Wash., one woman was reportedly killed by a felled tree after winds knocked out power to more than 500,000, according to electricity providers in southern Oregon.

From Los Angeles Times

Expected to be one of the strongest storms in the northwest US in decades, the bomb cyclone knocked out power and downed trees across the region, on November 20, 2024.

From Salon

Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup was a significant achievement for Wales, but at the tournament in Qatar they were desperately disappointing as they were knocked out in the first round.

From BBC

They also insisted we flew into the island while it was being pummeled by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which had knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people.

From BBC

The storm knocked out power in over 100 areas, and left many people without enough food or drinking water.

From NewsForKids.net