to knock out of time
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To settle one's hash for him, double him up. The phrase is from pugilism, and refers to disabling an opponent so that he is unable to respond when the referee calls "Time.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to knock out of time” mean?
To settle one's hash for him, double him up. The phrase is from pugilism, and refers to disabling an opponent so that he is unable to respond when the referee calls "Time.
Is “to knock out of time” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.