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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

put someone's lights out en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) To cause someone to become unconscious, especially by striking him or her.
    • [H]e knew every trick in the books, combatwise, and "could put your lights out with a simple sustained pressure on a carotid nerve." 1996 December 31, Bill Copeland, “True love is where you find it”, in Sarasota Herald-Tribune, retrieved 12 Nov 2015, page 4E:
    • "He's taken an awful lot of punches in his last few fights and if Thomas hits him like that, he'll put his lights out. It'll be like a blackout." 1981 September 16, “More than 300 million to see THE fight tonight”, in Beaver County Times, retrieved 12 Nov 2015, page C1:
    • "The last time I fought Mustafa, I just wanted to give him a beating. . . . This time, I want to put his lights out." 1984 August 28, Bert Rosenthal, “Hagler looks forward to Garden visit”, in Kentucky New Era, retrieved 12 Nov 2015, page C1:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
put someone's lights out Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
put someone's lights out Tense=Past lexicographic
putting someone's lights out Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
puts someone's lights out Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Relateds

punch someone's lights out

Synonyms

knock out