Knock someone for six 👊🏏💥

Meaning

To shock, surprise, or completely overwhelm someone.

Origin

This phrase leaps straight from the cricket pitch! Imagine a batsman facing a fearsome bowler. A 'six' is the highest score you can get from a single hit, requiring immense power and skill. So, when a bowler 'knocks a batsman for six,' they've delivered such a devastating ball that it not only gets the batsman out but utterly stuns them, leaving them reeling. The phrase has since moved beyond the cricket field to describe any shocking or overwhelming event that leaves someone completely bewildered.

📅🕰️ 20th 21st century 😮 surprise 🏅 sport 🗣️ communication 😠⚔️ anger

Knock someone for six represented with emoji👊🏏💥

This delightful arrangement of icons functions as a playful visual riddle, inviting us into a world where fists, bats, and explosions coalesce. It not only offers a glimpse into the dramatic impact of words but also challenges the viewer to decipher the connection between the physical and the figurative. Prepare to be delightfully bowled over by the ingenuity of turning a simple greeting into a spectacle!

Examples

  • The unexpected news of his promotion knocked his colleagues for six.
  • Her sudden arrival knocked me for six; I wasn't expecting anyone.
  • The sight of a purple squirrel wearing a tiny hat completely knocked him for six.
  • When the talking teacup offered him a biscuit, it really knocked the old wizard for six.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'knock someone for six' a formal or informal idiom?

'Knock someone for six' is distinctly informal. It's commonly used in casual conversation and media, but you'd be unlikely to hear it in highly formal settings like academic papers or official government announcements.

Can 'knock someone for six' be used for negative emotions, or only positive surprise?

While often associated with shock, 'knock someone for six' can describe being overwhelmed by negative emotions or situations too. For example, someone might be knocked for six by a sudden job loss or bad news.

What's the opposite of 'knock someone for six'?

The opposite of being 'knocked for six' would be something that reassures or confirms expectations, such as 'put someone's mind at ease' or 'confirm someone's beliefs'. These phrases describe a calming or validating response, rather than a shocking or overwhelming one.

Does 'knock someone for six' imply physical harm like a punch?

No, despite the word 'knock', the idiom 'knock someone for six' refers strictly to emotional or mental shock and surprise, not physical injury. The 'knock' is metaphorical, originating from the impactful surprise of a cricket delivery.

Similar to "knock someone for six"

Leave someone gobsmacked
Both phrases capture utter astonishment, but 'leave someone gobsmacked' evokes a more visual, open-mouthed shock, as if the sheer force of surprise has rendered someone momentarily speechless and slack-jawed, whereas 'knock someone for six' has a more decisive, almost physical impact
Blow someone's mind
Both convey overwhelming surprise, but 'blow someone's mind' often suggests a positive, revelatory, or incredibly impressive experience that fundamentally shifts perception, while 'knock someone for six' leans more towards a destabilizing, potentially negative shock
Floor someone
Both mean to overwhelm someone with surprise or shock, but 'floor someone' implies a more direct, physical impact, as if the news or event has literally caused them to collapse or be rendered helpless for a moment, sharing the physical imagery of being knocked down

Opposite of "knock someone for six"

Expect something to happen
Whereas 'knock someone for six' thrives on the unexpected, this phrase argues for the comfort and control found in predictability, suggesting a world where surprises are rare and largely unwelcome
Take something in stride
This counters the idea of being overwhelmed by asserting the strength to handle any situation, no matter how surprising or difficult, with calm and composure, suggesting resilience rather than shock
Be unfazed
This phrase champions an unshakeable equanimity, directly opposing the idea of being shaken or stunned by events, arguing instead for a stoic indifference to external shocks

Related to "knock someone for six"

Hit the roof
This phrase shares the aggressive, impactful imagery of 'knock someone for six', but it specifically describes an outburst of extreme anger or frustration, rather than general shock
Out of the blue
This describes the sudden and unexpected nature of the event that might cause someone to be 'knocked for six', focusing on the surprise element from the perspective of its origin
A bolt from the blue
Like 'out of the blue', this emphasizes the unexpectedness and suddenness of a shocking event, acting as the very cause that would 'knock someone for six'
Stunned
This is a more direct, one-word description of the state of being after being 'knocked for six', sharing the core meaning of being dazed and shocked into silence or immobility