put someone's lights out: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  American EnglishBritish EnglishGeneral Englishinformalslang
  • To strike someone so as to render them unconscious; to knock someone out.
  • To cause someone to lose consciousness as the result of a physical blow.

  Examples

  Beta

  • During the boxing match, he put his opponent’s lights out with a powerful right hook.

    Durante la pelea de boxeo, dejó inconsciente a su oponente con un poderoso gancho de derecha.

  • If you keep provoking him, he might just put your lights out in self-defense.

    Si sigues provocándolo, podría dejarte inconsciente en defensa propia.

  • The fighter was put lights out in the third round after a series of heavy blows.

    El luchador quedó inconsciente en el tercer asalto tras una serie de golpes fuertes.

• 2.

  General Englishinformalcolloquial
  • To defeat or incapacitate someone decisively, either physically or figuratively.
  • To silence or overwhelmingly overcome someone in confrontation or competition.

  Examples

  Beta

  • Our team really put the competition’s lights out with that unexpected strategy.

    Nuestro equipo realmente derrotó contundentemente a la competencia con esa estrategia inesperada.

  • The new product launch put their rivals’ lights out in the market.

    El lanzamiento del nuevo producto dejó fuera de juego a sus rivales en el mercado.

  • She put her critics’ lights out with a stunning presentation that left no room for doubt.

    Ella silenció a sus críticos con una presentación impresionante que no dejó lugar a dudas.