Knock someone out meaning in English
Learn how to use Knock someone out correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
to knock sbdy out: to make somebody unconscious (usually by hitting them)
a knockout (boxing): a punch that leaves the opponent unconscious; a victory (boxing); a triumph
Examples
- "In fact my mother advised me to avoid any kind of sports after I was knocked out by a softball in my local park."
- "Kevin : Anesthetic. To knock me out."
- "Those sleeping pills knocked me out for &_ hours."
Exercise 1
This exercise will knock you out!
From the list below choose all the sentences which use the expression 'to knock out' correctly.
Note that the 'k' in 'knock' is silent, like the terms 'know' and 'knife'.
From the list below choose all the sentences which use the expression 'to knock out' correctly.
Note that the 'k' in 'knock' is silent, like the terms 'know' and 'knife'.
This exercise will knock you out!
From the list below choose all the sentences which use the expression 'to knock out' correctly.
Note that the 'k' in 'knock' is silent, like the terms 'know' and 'knife'.
From the list below choose all the sentences which use the expression 'to knock out' correctly.
Note that the 'k' in 'knock' is silent, like the terms 'know' and 'knife'.
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' correctly, in the same sense as Kevin uses the expression in this dialogue. 'To be knocked out' before an operation refers to being drugged (using anesthesia or gas for example). Note that the expression indicates 'losing consciousness' or being 'rendered unconscious'.
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' incorrectly. Although 'being knocked out' refers to being rendered unconscious, the expression can't be used to describe 'fainting' or 'losing consciousness' as a result of drinking to much. A better choice here is 'pass out': I drank so much that I passed out. Note that a strong cocktail can 'knock you out', but you can't 'knock out on the floor' as the result of drinking too much.
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' incorrectly. We knock 'on' or 'at' someone's door, not 'out'. The use of prepositions after the verb 'to knock' changes the meaning of the expression entirely. To knock out (a person): to render unconscious. To knock on, at (a door): to tap on it. To knock up (a girl): to impregnate!
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' correctly, meaning to physically render someone unconscious, usually by striking them in the head. Boxers often 'knock each other out' with punches, and their 'knock outs' (or 'K.O.s') are recorded as a measure of their success. This is also the origin of the term 'k.o.' (sometimes used as a verb)! This use of the expression is similar to Kevin's question in the dialogue about 'using anesthetic to knock him out'), however Kevin wants to be rendered unconscious by the use of drugs, and not a punch!
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' correctly, meaning to 'eliminate from a competition'. This is a very different use of the expression than in the dialogue, when Kevin is asking to be drugged during the surgery!
This sentence uses the expression 'to knock out' correctly, figuratively describing that a woman's beauty had a great or stunning effect on the speaker, like he had been physically struck or hit. This expression is commonly used to describe the stunning or powerful effect of something (a film, a person, a book, etc.) Note that a beautiful person can also be described as 'a knockout'!
Exercise 2
"My mother advised me to avoid any kind of sports after I was knocked out by a softball".
In this context, to avoid (sports) is to sports.
In other words, Icarus should avoid sports.
In this context, to be knocked out is to be .
In this context, to avoid (sports) is to sports.
In other words, Icarus should avoid sports.
In this context, to be knocked out is to be .
"My mother advised me to avoid any kind of sports after I was knocked out by a softball".
In this context, to avoid (sports) is to stay away from 1 sports.
In other words, Icarus should avoid playing 2 sports.
In this context, to be knocked out is to be rendered unconscious 3.
In this context, to avoid (sports) is to stay away from 1 sports.
In other words, Icarus should avoid playing 2 sports.
In this context, to be knocked out is to be rendered unconscious 3.
1 stay away from: This is correct. "To avoid (playing sports)" is to refrain, or stay away from playing sports. In other words Icarus was encouraged to not play sports because he was hit on the head by a softball (a large ball similar to a baseball).
1 participate in: This is incorrect. "To participate in (sports)" is not synonymous with "to avoid (sports)". "Participating in" sports means "playing" them, for example: We should encourage young people to participate in sports.
1 refuse: This is incorrect. "To refuse (sports)" is not synonymous with "to avoid (sports)". 'To refuse (a medal) is to decline to accept a medal.
1 observe: This is incorrect. "To observe (a sport)" is not synonymous with "to avoid (a sport)". "To observe" is to "see" or "watch", for example: I observed a male dolphin pass by the ship this morning.
2 playing: This is correct. The verb "to avoid" is always followed by another verb in its gerund (ing) form, for example: My brother avoided doing any hard work for a long time.
2 to play: This is incorrect. The verb "to avoid" is never followed by another verb in its full infinitive form.
2 play: This is incorrect. The verb "to avoid" is never followed by another verb in its infinitive form. As a rule, when one verb follows another, it either takes a full infinitive form (to play) or a gerund (playing).
2 played: This is incorrect. The verb "to avoid" is never followed by another verb in simple past tense. As a rule, when one verb follows another, it either takes a full infinitive form (to play) or a gerund (playing).
3 rendered unconscious: This is correct. To be "knocked out" means to be "rendered unconscious", often by a heavy blow, for example: I was knocked out when the piano fell on my head. Icarus is knocked unconscious by a softball which hits him on the head as he is walking in his local park. Note the abbreviation "KO" which stands for a "knockout". Example: "Tyson was KO'd by Rocky Balboa after biting his ear."
3 defeated: This is incorrect. "Defeated" is not synonymous with being "knocked out". Being "defeated" means being "beaten" or "losing" (to an opposition), for example: The French were defeated by English archers in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
3 tired: This is incorrect. "Tired" is not synonymous with being "knocked out". "Tired" means lacking in energy, "fatigued", or in other contexts "bored" or "impatient", for example: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.
3 discouraged: This is incorrect. "Discouraged" is not synonymous with being "knocked out". "Discouraged" means being deprived of courage, hope or confidence, for example: I was discouraged when I read that finding work as a male stripper is very difficult.
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