OVERWHELM
blow someone's mind
to overwhelm someone; to excite someone. (Slang.)It was so beautiful, it nearly blew my mind.The music was so wild. It blew my mind.
stand in awe (of someone or something)
to be overwhelmed with respect for someone or something.Many people stand in awe of the president.Bob says he stands in awe of a big juicy steak. I think he's exaggerating.When it comes to food, you can say that it's delicious, but one hardly stands in awe.
sweep one off one's feet
to overwhelm someone (figuratively). (Informal.)Mary is madly in love with Bill. He swept her off her feet.The news was so exciting that it swept me off my feet.
take someone or something by storm
to overwhelm someone or something; to attract a great deal of attention from someone or something.Jane is madly in love with Tom. He took her by storm at the office party, and they've been together ever since.The singer took the world of opera by storm with her performance in La Bohême.
take someone's breath away
to overwhelm someone with beauty or grandeur.The magnificent painting took my breath away.Ann looked so beautiful that she took my breath away.
ace
tr. to surpass someone or something; to beat someone or something; to ace someone out.The Japanese firm aced the Americans by getting the device onto the shelves first.Fred aced Tom in the contest for the best beard.
ace someone out
tr. to maneuver someone out; to win out over someone.I plan to ace you out in the first lap.Martha aced out Rebecca to win the firstplace trophy.
beat someone out
tr. to outdistance someone; to perform better than someone.We have to beat the other company out, and then we'll have the contract.I beat out Walter in the footrace.
blow someone away
tr. to overwhelm someone; to amaze someone.The music about blew me away.The whole idea just blew her away.
blow someone's doors off
tr. to defeat someone; to surpass someone. (As if someone were going by another vehicle on the highway at such a high speed that the doors would be blown off in passing.)We're gonna really blow your doors off in the next game.They blew our doors off in sales last year.
break someone's balls
tr. to wreck or ruin someone; to overwork someone; to overwhelm someone. (Usually used with males, but not necessarily. Potentially offensive. Use only with discretion.)The boss acts like he's trying to break everybody's balls all the time.No need to break my balls. I'll do it!
cream
tr. to beat someone; to outscore someone.The other team creamed us, but we had better team spirit.We'll cream 'em next week.
dust
tr. to defeat someone; to win out over someone.We dusted the other team, 87–54.In the second game, they dusted us.
get the drop on someone
tr. to succeed in getting an advantage over someone.I guess I got the drop on you because I was early.I got the drop on almost everybody by sending in my registration by mail.
knocked out
mod. overwhelmed.We were just knocked out when we heard your news.Were we surprised? We were knocked out—elated!
murder and slaughter
tr. to overwhelm; to beat someone in a sports contest.The other team murdered us.We went out on the field prepared to slaughter them.
paste
tr. to defeat a person or a team, usually in a game of some type.The Warriors pasted the Rockets, 70–49.They really pasted our team in last week's game.
shellack
tr. to beat someone; to outscore someone.We're gonna shellack those bums Friday night.We'll be shellacking every team in the league this year.
shoo-in
n. an easy winner.She's a shoo-in. Nobody can touch her.My horse was a shoo-in. It won by a mile.
slay
tr. to overwhelm someone with one's performance or other excellence.These jokes always slay the audience.Oh, you slay me with your silly remarks.
smear
tr. to defeat someone; to outscore someone.We smeared them 50–20.They said they would smear us, but we smeared them.
smoke
tr. to beat someone in a contest; to outrun, outdistance, or outplay someone.Jill smoked Dave in the bicycle race.I will smoke you in the race!
stomp (on) someone
tr. & in. to beat someone; to misuse someone.We are gonna stomp you guys next game.One team stomped on the other so hard and fast, the scoreboard couldn't keep up.
take
tr. to defeat someone, as in a fight.Max thought he could take the guy, but he wasn't sure.I know I can take you. Make my day!
take someone to the cleaners
tr. to defeat or best someone.We took the other team to the cleaners.Look at the height they've got! They'll take us to the cleaners!
trash
tr. to beat, as in a ball game.You trashed us this game, but watch out next season!The Jets trashed the Wallbangers, 48–13.
trounce
tr. to beat or outscore someone.They really trounced us.Western trounced Eastern for the tenth year in a row.
whump and whomp; womp
tr. to beat or outscore someone.They set out to whump us, and they sure did.The Redskins womped the Walleyes.
Win a few, lose a few.
phr. “Sometimes one wins; other times one loses.”Too bad. Sorry about that. Win a few, lose a few.“Win a few, lose a few,” doesn't mean you never win at all.
You can't win them all. and You can't win 'em all.
sent. “No one succeeds all the time.” (Said when someone fails.)Don't fret about it, Tom. You can't win them all.You can't win 'em all, but you can't lose 'em all, either.
zonk
tr. to overpower someone or something.We zonked the dog with a kick.It took two cops to zonk the creep.