out like a light
7
7.3
- idiom
- Informal
- Two seconds, she's out like a light.
- went out like a light
- put him out like a light
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Watch on YouTubeIf you are in global sleep, you're out like a light, you are asleep.
- If you are in global sleep, you're out like a light, you are asleep.
- So he had been stopped, but as I put him out like a light in my first fight, cruiserweights, he fought on the undercard, I think an absolute no mark.
- This is all part of consciousness, and this consciousness doesn't go out like a light bulb when this rapidly failing body ends.
Examples
-
I was dead to the world, out like a light.
Fiction book (1992) -
"You were out like a light," she said.
Fiction book (1998) -
But you were out like a light.
-
You were out like a light.
-
You were out like a light.
-
Probably out like a light by this time.
-
Within a matter of seconds, she was once again out like a light.
Fiction book (1995) -
He went out like a light.
-
Mm, she's out like a light.
-
After the long hike, I lay down on the couch and was out like a light within minutes.
Synonyms
471
1.0
Become not awake
317
3.7
To faint or lose consciousness suddenly
109
8.2
Not aware and slow to react because of tiredness or medicine
72
5.4
To suddenly lose consciousness for a short time
23
2.7
Feeling weak and about to lose consciousness
22
6.9
Unconscious or sleeping very deeply
9
7.2
Completely unconscious after a hard hit to the head
8
8.1
To stop working suddenly or to fall asleep because of tiredness
6
7.6
To fall asleep suddenly because you are very tired
5
4.6
Not awake after a strong hit to the head
3
8.3
To fall asleep or pass out very quickly because you are very tired
3
7.9
To fall asleep by accident because you are very tired
Antonyms
How Fast
317
3.7
- Informal
7
7.3
452
1.0
- Informal
31
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The constituent 'out' already conveys being unconscious, so a learner who knows that word could infer the core meaning. However, 'like a light' is a metaphorical simile (comparing a person being 'out' to a light being switched off), which is partially predictable but requires figurative reasoning, making the overall expression only partly transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Out like a light may come from the image of a lamp or candle being switched out, the light disappearing in an instant. So when someone is 'out like a light', they fall asleep or become unconscious very quickly.