down for the count

1. Having been, or very near to being, defeated, ruined, or overcome. Likened to a boxer who has been knocked to the mat and cannot stand before the referee counts to 10, thus losing the match. Their company is so debt-ridden that I think it's safe to say they're down for the count at this stage. With the final votes tallied, the senator's hopes for re-election are down for the count. Man, if our business keeps posting these dismal sales numbers, we'll be down for the count sooner than later.

2. Unconscious or in a deep, insensible sleep. Likened to a boxer who has been knocked out. I didn't even hear you come in last night, I was so tired that I was down for the count as soon as my head hit the pillow. On his 21st birthday, Mike's friends gave him so much to drink that he was down for the count by 10 PM. Don't worry, the vacuum won't wake him if he's down for the count like that.

See also: count, down, for

down for the count

Defeated, finished, doomed, as in I doubt if he'll ever leave the hospital; his illness really has him down for the count . This expression alludes to the losing boxer, unable to get to his feet before the umpire has counted to ten ( the count). [1920s]

See also: count, down, for

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

down for the count

AMERICAN

If someone or something is down for the count, they are failing. Note: The following expressions refer to a `count' in boxing. If a boxer is knocked to the ground and does not get up before the referee has counted to ten, they lose the contest. Both artists have recently recorded albums that show they're not down for the count yet. The market is not down for the count just yet.

See also: count, down, for

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

down for the count

mod. inactive for the duration (of something). (From boxing.) I’ve got a terrible cold, and I think I’m down for the count.

See also: count, down, for

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References in periodicals archive

If an employee catches it, he/she is down for the count. Flu vaccinations are your best bet for prevention, and occupational health providers can often provide businesses on-site flu shots.

Healthy talk

THE Ali Shuffle left weary Walsall on the ropes, down for the count and punch drunk.

Football: The Ali B show a class City act; Man City 3 Walsall 0

In round four at the Wembley Conference Centre, a left upper-cut crashed into Francis's left eye and he went down for the count.

Boxing: SWEET REVENGE FOR WILLIAMS AS HE FLOORS FRANCIS IN FOUR

THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION WAS FLATTENED IN SEATTLE, BUT IS the free trade organization down for the count? Hardly.

WTO TKO?

They hoped the DC6000 would remain down for the count and keep off the beach.

Tandberg SLR Puts 'Big Punch Power' Into The DC6000 Tape Form Factor

A straight left to the chin put Delaney down for the count of eight early in the fifth.

MARK MAULED; Brave Delaney devoured by champ Cal's super-fast fists of fury

It's hard to avoid the conclusion that if plastics recycling is left to fend for itself in the marketplace, it will go down for the count, and we'll continue using and tossing an ever-growing volume of plastic.

Okay, okay - here's another look at plastics

The six national forests in the nation's solar plexus are the arena for a haymaker issue that has the potential to put the popular timber-harvesting method of clearcutting down for the count across the U.S.

Heartburn in the heartland forests

Last year one of three Mad Butcher-owned stores in Pine Bluff faced off with Food Warehouse out of Alabama, and the latter went down for the count.

Going to the mat: bout with Alabama competitor gets Mad Butcher down, but not out

Down for the count after dropping two of the first three sets, the Lifesavers came back to life with a dominant showing in the fourth frame then wiped out a 6-10 deficit in the decisive set to complete their fightback over the fading Tornadoes in one hour and 47 minutes of play.

PSL: Lifesavers fend off Tornadoes