Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) bankrupt; lacking funds.

1873		Sl. Dict.
1891		J. Maitland Amer. Sl. Dict.
1896		Mirror of Life 4 Apr. 3/4: [V]ariety artistes will sometimes find themselves stranded far from home without the necessary cash to travel back; the regular ‘commercial’ is also sometimes knocked out.
1906		Owen Johnson Max Fargus 291: Oh, I’m knocked out!
1949		W.R. Burnett Asphalt Jungle in Four Novels (1984) 162: Not a knocked-out heister [...] rolling drunks.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 25: The world was a pretty good place after all when a poor knocked-out broad like this could give you a belly. What the hell kind of life could she possibly have? Whatever it was it wasn’t funny.

2. (also knocked) exhausted.

1896		Ade Artie (1963) 50: You look knocked out.
1901		H. Lawson ‘The Bush Fire’ in Roderick (1972) 434: ‘Oh Bob [...] I’m knocked out’ — and she slipped down ionto his arms and stayed there awhile.
1902		D. St John Memoirs of Madge Buford 112: The knocked out hymen breaker withdraw.
1906		O.C. Malvery Soul Market 51: I’m knocked, that’s wot’s the matter; ill, ’ungry, and knocked.
1920		E. O’Neill Anna Christie Act I: Gee, I sure need that rest! I’m knocked out.
1925		Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves 87: Bicky seemed pretty well knocked out, so I put in a word.
1929		K.S. Prichard Coonardoo 261: Coonardoo had seen Phyllis knocked out after a long day.
1948		(con. 1944) N. Mailer Naked and Dead 575: Oh, I’m knocked out.
1950		(con. 1936–46) K.S. Prichard Winged Seeds (1984) 230: ‘It’s not good enough, darling,’ Eily said, distressed to see Daphne so knocked out.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 67: Can you imagine a knocked-out broad like that? Good kid. Sure. But she’s been round the wheel, brother.
1967–8		Baker et al. CUSS 159: Knocked out Very tired.
1974		(con. 1960s) R. Price Wanderers 49: Rest time. Don’t wanna get knocked out.
1995		(con. 1880) P. Ackroyd Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem 207: What I want you to do now is have a little sleep. You’re all knocked out.

3. (also knocked) overwhelmed.

1893		J. Hawthorne Confessions of Convict 146: The perfume of the flowers scented the air. I was knocked out, boy!
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 July 32/1: I was that knocked I just jumped on the horse, snatched my rifle, and made for home as fast as he would carry me.
1922		T.E. Spencer ‘Liza’ in Budgeree Ballads 83: I’m that fair knocked out that ’arf me time I don’t know what I do.
1939		P.E. Miller Down Beat’s Yearbook of Swing n.p.: knocked out: so inspired by the music as to be oblivious of everything but the music being played.
1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 26: We were all knocked out by that Stud’s classy lid.
1966		T. Keyes All Night Stand 113: I was knocked out [...] when he asked us to come and see you record.
1978		R. De Christoforo Grease 67: Danny was [...] with a knocked-out looking girl.
1984		‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 31: I’m not knocked out by all the excitement in here, I must say.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 101: She’d seen them not a year before and was knocked out by them.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 23: Fonzie’s not exactly knocked out to see my own cheery kipper knocking at the door.

4. (US) heavily intoxicated.

1929		L. Axley ‘Drunk’ Again’ in AS IV:6 440: knocked out.
1931		A. Hardin ‘Volstead English’ in AS VII:2 87: Terms referring to the state of intoxication: Knocked out.
1942		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Sl.
1953		‘William Lee’ Junkie (1966) 23: Herman was knocked out on ‘nembies’ and his head kept falling down onto the bar.
1961		‘Lou Rand’ Gay Detective (2003) 97: Tiger [...] was actually not as knocked-out as he appeared to be.
1968		E. Cole House of Bondage 140: For such drinkers the goal is simply to ‘get knocked out fast’.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 122: knocked-out (adj.) 1. blind drunk 2. stoned on drugs.
1980		(con. 1940s–60s) H. Huncke ‘Sea Voyage’ in Eve. Sun Turned Crimson (1998) 142: While in Aruba we had picked up yen-pox and stayed knocked out the whole time we were there.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 218: Essential oil. You get knocked out worse than Mickey.

5. (US) stylish, excellent.

1953		L. Durst Jives of Dr. Hepcat (1989) 3: And every trip of the train some knocked out cat is upping sonic real crazy licks and dropping it on the bop kick.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 122: knocked-out (adj.) [...] 5. good in every sense of the word.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 17: I have had knocked-out-lookin’ broads.