Deck you Out

[HSS]

Just a quick one:

You would say, "I'll deck you!" to tell people you will knock them down. Wouldn't you also say "to deck you out," though? I dare say you wouldn't use it in the form, "I'll deck you out," but you would say, "I wanted to deck him out," or something, wouldn't you?

Hiro

[David L.]

I wanted to deck him.

This is an informal use of the word, meaning to knock someone to the ground with a punch. (Possibly coming from fighting among sailors, where the 'floor' would actually be the deck of the ship.)

The formal use of the word 'to deck' means 'to decorate or adorn brightly or festively' ( as in the Christmas carol Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly)

'to deck out' and 'to be decked out' means that one has put on one's best clothes for some occasion. "He was all decked out for his first date with a girl he'd met." (In effect, one has 'decorated' oneself up to look good!)

[HSS]

I know and have used the phrase "deck someone out" meaning "put on their best clothes," but couldn't we just add "out" to "deck" when wanting to say "to really knock somebody out"?

Hiro

[bhaisahab]

I know and have used the phrase "deck someone out" meaning "put on their best clothes," but couldn't we just add "out" to "deck" when wanting to say "to really knock somebody out"?

Hiro

Well, there is nothing to stop you from saying it, perhaps you will create a new idiom.

[HSS]

Okay, I guess I'll stick to the original way .

Thanks!

Hiro