down for the count
Defeated beyond recovery
Down for the count means defeated, exhausted, or incapacitated—unable to continue.
The phrase comes from boxing, where a fighter knocked to the canvas must rise before the referee counts to ten or lose the match.
Extended uses apply to anyone or anything temporarily or permanently out of action: After that twelve-hour shift, I was down for the count.
The flu had her down for the count all week.
Rendered unconscious by impact
- blacked outLost awareness temporarily
- faintedLost consciousness briefly
- comatoseDeeply unconscious, unrousable
- senselessLacking reason or awareness
collapsed · floored · flattened · laid out · lights out · seeing stars · punch-drunk · concussed
Having lost a contest
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- conqueredDefeated and took control
- overcomePrevail against difficulty
- subduedReduced in intensity
trounced · routed · overpowered · overwhelmed · crushed · bested · outplayed · thrashed
Operating incorrectly or failing
- offlineNot internet-connected
- out of commissionUnable to function
- disabledMade unable to function
- nonfunctionalNot performing its purpose
kaput · out of order · crashed · stalled · dead · busted · fried · bricked
knocked out
Rendered unconscious by impact
- blacked outLost awareness temporarily
- faintedLost consciousness briefly
- comatoseDeeply unconscious, unrousable
senseless · collapsed · floored · flattened · laid out · lights out · seeing stars · punch-drunk · concussed · stunned
beaten
Having lost a contest
- vanquishedDefeated completely
- conqueredDefeated and took control
- overcomePrevail against difficulty
subdued · trounced · routed · overpowered · overwhelmed · crushed · bested · outplayed · thrashed · checkmated
malfunctioning
Operating incorrectly or failing
- offlineNot internet-connected
- out of commissionUnable to function
- disabledMade unable to function
nonfunctional · kaput · out of order · crashed · stalled · dead · busted · fried · bricked · unresponsive
- sports idiomsdrop the ball, throw in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field
- KnockoutsKO, TKO, knockdown, floored, decked
- boxingjab, uppercut, hook, punch, TKO
- competition metaphorslevel playing field, race to the bottom, win-win, rat race, front runner
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
down for the countstill standing
standing tall · unbowed · undefeated · rolling with the punches · toe to toe
down for the countup and running
Functioning as intended
going strong · firing on all cylinders · alive and kicking · up and at 'em · raring to go
down for the countvictorious
Having achieved triumph
triumphant · winning · unbeaten · going the distance · in the running
down, count, counter, downtown, counting, knockout, downgrade, counted, downer