knock the bottom out

knock the bottom out

 (of something) 1. and knock the bottom out Lit. to break the bottom of a container. I knocked the bottom out of the barrel and used it to store compost. Knock out the bottom and set it right on the soil. 2. Fig. [for something] to go down so low as to knock out the bottom. The bad news knocked the bottom out of the stock market. The recession knocked the bottom out of our profits.See also: bottom, knock, out