down for the count
adjEtymology The figurative senses are extended from the literal one.
1
Idiomatic Decisively beaten; defeated; rendered irrelevant for the long term.
- As the company grew, one after another of its smaller competitors ended up down for the count.
- “But what puts me down for the count is the action of the fellow. Never showed up; just made her miss two performances.”1912, Harold MacGrath, chapter 7, in The Place of Honeymoons:
2 more examples
- But every time the music world thought it was down for the count, the orchestra has managed to rise again.1991 November 4, Allan Kozinn, “Despite Odds, Many of Them, A Bedeviled Orchestra Persists”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2022:
- So, while Europe is still groggy and the U.S. is just starting to show signs of a pulse (and Japan of course is still down for the count), little Korea will grow anywhere from 3.2% to 6% this year.2002 March 11, “Veni, Vidi, Gucci”, in TIME, archived from the original on 11 May 2013:
2
Figuratively Soundly unconscious, either because asleep or because otherwise knocked out.
- A: Look at him, he's out like a light! B: Yeah, he had a long day! And now he's down for the count.
3
Of a boxer Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see down, for, the, count: lying upon the mat of a boxing ring while the referee counts the fighter out.
- Liston was down for the count more than once before rising up to regain command of the fight.
- Related terms
- count out, countout, lost to the world, saved by the bell