out like a light
7
7.3
- idiom
- Informal
:
se quedó dormido
- Two seconds, she's out like a light.
- went out like a light
- put him out like a light
If 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
188
3.7
To faint or lose consciousness suddenly
73
1.0
Become not awake
46
5.4
To suddenly lose consciousness for a short time
42
8.2
Not aware and slow to react because of tiredness or medicine
38
2.7
Feeling weak and about to lose consciousness
29
4.6
Not awake after a strong hit to the head
27
6.9
Unconscious or sleeping very deeply
7
8.1
To stop working suddenly or to fall asleep because of tiredness
2
8.3
To fall asleep or pass out very quickly because you are very tired
2
7.9
To fall asleep by accident because you are very tired
2
7.2
Completely unconscious after a hard hit to the head
1
7.6
To fall asleep suddenly because you are very tired
Antonyms
How Fast
188
3.7
- Informal
7
7.3
376
1.0
- Informal
35
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.