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# knockout

noun (a knockout, knockouts); adjective (knockout); also knock-out

«knockout» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. In boxing, a knockout is a punch or a win when a fighter is knocked down and cannot get up in time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#m1)
2. A knockout competition is one where the loser of each game leaves, until one winner is left. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#m2)
3. (informal) A knockout is something or someone extremely good or beautiful: «The show was a knockout». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#m3)

### In the lessons

In sport lessons and the news it describes tournaments: «the knockout stage of the World Cup». In maths, pupils count the games in a knockout tournament: with 16 teams, there are 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 15 games. In everyday talk, «a knockout» is high praise. Phrases: «knockout round», «knockout punch», «knock-out blow».

### Examples

- The boxer won by a knockout in round three. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x1)
- England reached the knockout stage. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x2)
- In a knockout cup, if you lose you go home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x3)
- With 32 teams in a knockout, there are 31 matches. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x4)
- Her singing was an absolute knockout. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x5)
- That was a knockout idea! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x6)
- The dodgeball game was a knockout: hit players are out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/#x7)

### Note

Spelled as one word, or with a hyphen (knock-out, UK). The verb is two words: «knock out». Maths trick: in a knockout with n teams, there are always n − 1 games, because every game knocks out exactly one team. Being «knocked out» in real life (losing consciousness) is a serious injury; see a doctor.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «knockout» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/K/knockout/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«knockout» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/knockout.html) on Mova free.