Skip to main content
to kayo

to kayo

9.9
To knock someone unconscious with a single punch
  • verb
  • /ˈkeɪoʊ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : nocautear
  • She watched the movie hero kayo two bad guys in under a minute.

Examples

  • He kayoed his opponent in the first round.

  • The boxer managed to kayo his rival with a single punch in the third round.

  • If you’re not careful in the ring, you might get kayoed before you even know it.

  • Did she really kayo him with one punch?

  • The boxer managed to kayo his opponent with a powerful uppercut in the fifth round.

  • After a fierce exchange of punches, he finally kayoed his rival, clinching the championship title.

  • The crowd erupted in cheers when the fighter kayoed his foe with only seconds left in the match.

Synonyms

to knock out
vsto kayo
  • NSFW
210 4.3

To make someone unconscious by a hit, illness, or being very tired

is limited to being rendered senseless by blows in fights or boxing
to knock cold
vsto kayo
8 7.9

To make someone unconscious by hitting them

is used mainly in boxing or fighting situations to render someone senseless

Antonyms

71 4.1

To make a person conscious again after fainting

How Hard

to kayo
  • Archaic
9.9
to hit
1.0

Surface Forms

kayo infinitive
kayoed past
kayoed past participle
kayoing present participle
kayoes third person singular

Morphology

kayo = KO (transparent) = K + O

The verb sense is derived directly from the same initialism 'K.O.' (to knockout), so the relation is straightforward for learners who know the abbreviation.

Etymology

Kayo comes from saying the letters K.O. out loud, which are short for 'knock out'. To kayo someone is to knock them unconscious, just like a boxing knockout.