knocked out person

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who has been made unconscious by a hit to the head or by a heavy blow.

   Grammar: Countable; you can say 'a knocked out person' or 'two knocked out people'.

   Patterns

   • a knocked out person
   • the knocked out person

   The referee stopped the fight when he saw the knocked out person on the canvas.

   Paramedics rushed to help the knocked out person after the collision.

   A knocked out person should be checked by a doctor even if they wake up quickly.

2. 2nouncountableinformal

   Someone who is extremely tired or exhausted, often after hard work or a long event.

   Grammar: Informal; usually used in the phrase 'a knocked out person' to mean very tired, not unconscious.

   Patterns

   • a knocked out person
   • feel like a knocked out person

   After moving furniture all day, I was a knocked out person by evening.

   She looked like a knocked out person after the marathon.

   Don't ask him to cook tonight—he's a knocked out person.

Word forms

Common combinations

knocked out cold

The punch left him knocked out cold for several minutes.

knocked out by a punch

The boxer was knocked out by a punch in the third round.

knocked out in the first round

The champion was knocked out in the first round.

get knocked out

He got knocked out during the rugby match.

Synonyms and how they differ

unconscious person

This is the medical or neutral term; 'knocked out person' is more informal and suggests a blow caused it.

KO'd person

Informal and mainly used in boxing; 'knocked out person' is clearer in general writing.

Opposites

Word family

knock out phrasal verb

To make someone unconscious with a blow.

knockout noun

A blow that makes someone unconscious, or a competition to find the best.

Commonly confused: knocked out person or knockout?

Practice

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