knock 'em dead

knock (one) dead

To strongly impress one. Often used as an imperative to give encouragement. Good luck on the audition! Knock 'em dead, kid! Your design is going to knock the judges dead. They're going to swoon over it.
See also: dead, knock
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

knock 'em dead

INFORMAL
If you say that someone or something will knock 'em dead, you mean that they will impress people very much. Glamorous make-up is best reserved for evenings, or days when you want to go all out to knock 'em dead. Note: You can also say that something will knock someone dead. Their debut album is going to knock you dead. Note: The word `'em' is a form of `them' which is used in informal or non-standard English.
See also: dead, knock
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • knock (one) dead
  • knock dead
  • knock somebody dead
  • knock someone dead
  • knock about with (one)
  • knock up
  • knocked up
  • knock (someone) down with a feather, to
  • knock one back
  • knock something back
References in periodicals archive
"The Big Bang Theory" continues to knock 'em dead at 8 p.m., but CBS doesn't look to have done the Thursday hit any favors with its latest arranged scheduling marriage.
Rob
She should dress up to the nines and knock 'em dead when the awards invitations start dropping through the letterbox.
Chelsea is one to watch; TV CRITIC
Just add the highest of heels and a hint of sparkle with your jewellery and you're ready to knock 'em dead.
A black Christmas; Susan Lee on the dress for the season
Most stunning of all is a knock 'em dead evening gown that goes in and out in all the right places.
Farewell to frump and hello glamour; Dressing for Christmas is so much more fun for super slimmer Fiona Jones. Here MARIE TURBILL shares her story
Knock 'em dead in this showstopper dress from River island, pounds 44.99.
my favourite things... Julie Hannah finds the best fashion buys - so you don't have to
THE party season is upon us, or so all the glossies tell us, endless double page features on little black dresses, sleeveless slinky sparkly numbers to knock 'em dead at the party season - what party season would that be then ?
Party season
Post Style has teamed up Umberto Giannini to offer three lucky readers a chance to knock 'em dead on Valentines Day.
POST OFFERS: BE LOVED? BY UMBERTO GIANNINI
SHE'S been out of the spotlight for a few years but make no mistake, Sharon Stone has lost none of her knock 'em dead sex appeal.
GO: CINEMA: Still sexy in Sharon's new Stone age
'All I can say to him is knock 'em dead, knock 'em dead'
They said what: Quotes of the day
So, knock 'em dead this Christmas without antagonising your bank manager or worsening the post-festivities bank account hangover.
Sweet charity
While your mates are splashing the cash to knock 'em dead on the beach, you can sizzle on any sands in the world - sexy in Spain, fab in France, gorgeous in Greece or even slinky in Saltcoats if you're staying at home.
INCREDIBLE READER OFFERS
KNOCK 'EM DEAD: A lot of people were duped into thinking Kathy had died
Kathy returns
Like discovering a pair of jeans that fit like a second skin, we all dream of owning a knock 'em dead LBD.
No wardrobe is complete without this design classic; OnTrend
It's a given that "The Killing" is unlikely to rival the crime genre's broadest ratings appeal, but the initial episodes have a good chance of getting a discerning audience hooked, even if they don't knock 'em dead.
'Killing fills in grisly margins with style
Good riddance KennyFormby Brilliant to a Scouser doing so well in the Masterchef: The Professionals - well done Claire, knock 'em dead in the Final!
The week ahead