knock into a cocked hat

== English == === Etymology === A cocked hat is one with the brim turned up to form two or three points (a bicorn or tricorn). The verb may refer: to someone or something being knocked or hit out of shape like such a hat, or a person having a cocked hat forced on to their head; or to a person knocking down all but three pins in a game of ninepins, or to the similar game called “cocked hat” in which only three pins are set up in a triangle, although these may simply be allusions to the shape of a tricorn. It has been pointed out that evidence linking these games to the verb is lacking. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈnɒk ˌɪntuː ə ˌkɒkt ˈhæt/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈnɑk ˌɪntu ə ˌkɑkt ˈhæt/ Hyphenation: knock in‧to a cocked hat === Verb === knock into a cocked hat (third-person singular simple present knocks into a cocked hat, present participle knocking into a cocked hat, simple past and past participle knocked into a cocked hat) (transitive, originally US, colloquial, dated) To beat up or seriously injure (a person); to badly damage (a thing). Synonym: beat into a cocked hat (transitive, chiefly UK, colloquial, figuratively) To completely demolish, nullify, overthrow, or otherwise defeat (a person; an argument, idea, or proposition; or a thing). Synonym: beat into a cocked hat ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === “to knock into a cocked hat, phrase” under “cocked hat, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2019. “knock something into a cocked hat, phrase” under “cocked hat, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “knock sth into a cocked hat”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present. “knock/beat somebody/something into a cocked hat” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman. “knock someone/something into a cocked hat” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary. “into a cocked hat”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.