be punch-drunk

be punch-drunk

1. Of a boxer, to be disoriented from a particularly heavy punch or too many blows to the head. That boxer was punch-drunk after being knocked out in the ring—he couldn't even remember his name!
2. To be disoriented from exhaustion. I'm punch-drunk after taking exams all week long. Of course he's punch-drunk—he's been driving for 12 hours straight!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • land a punch
  • Sunday punch
  • take a punch at (someone or something)
  • take a poke at
  • take a poke at (someone or something)
  • take a poke at somebody/something
  • take a poke at someone
  • be on Queer Street
  • tomato can
  • punch up
References in periodicals archive
When the overwhelming nature of the Republican victory in the November midterm elections became clear, the nation's most prominent Democratic elected officials seemed to be punch-drunk. President Clinton and his White House minions struggled with little success to come up with a satisfactory explanation, as did most of their Congressional cohorts.
Some [conservative Democrats], to me, appear to be punch-drunk because they're not clear on the fact that DLC members lost--McCurdy in Oklahoma lost, Sasser in Tennessee lost.
Jesse Jackson: 'What progressives must do is keep focusing on the moral center, not the political center.' (Cover Story) (Interview)