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 figuratively

The 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

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Just as The View host Whoopi Goldberg recovered from the flu, her cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin went down for the count. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025

Spider-Man rescues and moves the pets while avoiding Butane's wanton destruction, before putting him down for the count with the help of a giant fish tank. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025

The Globes have risen from the dead before — the whole franchise was down for the count before Ricky Gervais singlehandedly rescued it in 2010 by rebranding it as a savage bitchfest. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025

But Phil and wife Vivian (Cassandra Freeman) aren't down for the count quite yet. —Alanna Bennett, refinery29.com, 26 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for down for the count

• account
• amount
• discount
• dismount
• recount
• remount
• seamount
• surmount
• fount
• mount
• rediscount
• subaccount