Knock one for six

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Grammarist

Knock one for six is an idiom that soared in popularity at the end of the twentieth century. We will examine the meaning of the common idiom knock one for six where it came from, and some examples of its idiomatic usage in sentences.

Knock one for six means to astonish, surprise, shock, or overwhelm. Knock one for six may mean that one is tremendously impressed with someone or something, or it may mean that one is surprised in a bad way that leaves one drained and unable to recover. The expression knock one for six comes from the sport of cricket. In cricket, if the batsman hits the ball over the boundary without bouncing, it counts for six runs. It is the worst outcome for the bowler, who is said to have been knocked for six. The expression knock one for six is popular in Great Britain and Australia.

Examples

The surgery knocked me for six. (Evening Express)

Maybe I should have been a bit more prepared if I’m honest because it knocked me for six. (Portsmouth News)

Gemma said she felt like she had “some sort of virus” which had “knocked her for six”, so decided to sweat out all the toxins in her £4,000 home sauna. (The Sun)