down for the count
idiomatic phrase
variants
or out for the count
of a boxer
: knocked down and unable to get up again before the referee counts to 10
The boxer was down for the count.
—often used figurativelyThe company is in trouble and may be about to go down for the count.
I was really sleepy and two minutes after getting into bed, I was out for the count.
Examples of down for the count in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Wisconsin men’s hockey team refused to go down for the count Saturday.
—
Journal Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2024
But Jack and the DWL may not be down for the count just yet.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2023
By then, Spirit could be down for the count and the airline industry will have contracted.
—Stephen Moore, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024
Concern grew that the fabulous invalid, as the theater has long been dubbed, might be down for the count.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
While soccer’s audience has skyrocketed, linear TV generally crashed, leaving sports TV networks on the ropes, down for the count, and getting knocked out.
—Aden Ikram, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2023
But the end result, also serving as Pine’s directorial debut, goes tonally off the rails from the start and proceeds to hit bottom with excruciating momentum, dragging a game ensemble, including Annette Bening, Danny DeVito and Jennifer Jason Leigh, down for the count.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
But now, an alarming number of American theater and opera companies are on the ropes, if not down for the count.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Aug. 2023
One of their members, Giselle, has been down for the count for health reasons this week and didn’t perform with them.
—Samuel Maude, ELLE, 13 June 2023
Journal Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2024
But Jack and the DWL may not be down for the count just yet.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2023
By then, Spirit could be down for the count and the airline industry will have contracted.
—Stephen Moore, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024
Concern grew that the fabulous invalid, as the theater has long been dubbed, might be down for the count.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
While soccer’s audience has skyrocketed, linear TV generally crashed, leaving sports TV networks on the ropes, down for the count, and getting knocked out.
—Aden Ikram, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2023
But the end result, also serving as Pine’s directorial debut, goes tonally off the rails from the start and proceeds to hit bottom with excruciating momentum, dragging a game ensemble, including Annette Bening, Danny DeVito and Jennifer Jason Leigh, down for the count.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
But now, an alarming number of American theater and opera companies are on the ropes, if not down for the count.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Aug. 2023
One of their members, Giselle, has been down for the count for health reasons this week and didn’t perform with them.
—Samuel Maude, ELLE, 13 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'down for the count.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near down for the count
Cite this Entry
“Down for the count.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/down%20for%20the%20count. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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