transitive verb
1.
a. : to produce especially roughly or hastily : turn out hurriedly
in that same month he knocked out eleven novelettes — Time
b. : to get through with : take care of especially in a hurred or routine way : attend to : dispatch
quickly knocked out the few things that had to be looked after
2.
a.
(1) : to fell (a boxing opponent) by hitting especially on the chin and making unconscious or otherwise unable to rise or continue within a specified time
knocked him out in the first round
(2) : to make unconscious or to stupefy especially by hitting on the head
the flowerpot hit him on the head and knocked him out
b.
(1) : to make the further use of impossible without replacement or repair : put out of commission : make inoperative
telephone communications had been knocked out
: demolish , destroy
knocking out the bridges and an ammunition dump — Lee Rogow
knocked out twelve transport aircraft — Time
(2) : to put an effective end to : get rid of : eliminate , crush , squash , squelch
knocked out commercial gambling — A.E.Stevenson †1965
3.
a. : to make (as oneself) exhausted : tire out : wear out
knocked themselves out with excessive work
b. : to exert (as oneself) to the breaking point or beyond endurance : exert to the utmost : drive to the point of exhaustion
knocking myself out to get top grades — W.H.Whyte
knocked ourselves out preparing for the grand opening — Polly Adler
4. : to strike (the inverted bowl of a pipe of tobacco) on something or with something so as to cause burning or burned tobacco to fall out
knocked his pipe out before refilling it
5. : to knock out of the box
the pitcher was knocked out in the fifth inning