IdiomDaily LifeFrench

Allonger pour le compte

Meaning: To knock someone out in a boxing match; to fell someone.

Literally: To lengthen for the count

Example: “D'un seul crochet du gauche, le champion a allongé son adversaire pour le compte.” — With a single left hook, the champion knocked his opponent out cold.

Origin: From boxing. Since the Marquess of Queensberry rules of 1867, a fighter who goes down has ten seconds to get back up, and the referee counts them out. Allonger (to lay flat) an opponent pour le compte (for the count) is to put him on the canvas for the whole of it, which is why the phrase means a knockout rather than a mere knockdown. It is also used of anyone floored, literally or figuratively.

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