The common idiom "go out like a light" means to fall asleep quickly and soundly. The spelling of this phrase is fairly straightforward, with each word spelled phonetically as it is pronounced. "Go" is spelled /ɡoʊ/, "out" is /aʊt/, "like" is /laɪk/, and "a light" is /ə laɪt/. The phrase has been in use since the early 1900s and its origins are uncertain. It is often used colloquially in spoken English and can be found in various forms of media.
"Go out like a light" is a commonly used idiomatic phrase in English that refers to someone falling asleep or losing consciousness very quickly, often in an abrupt or sudden manner. This expression is used to emphasize the swift and effortless nature with which a person falls asleep or loses awareness, suggesting that it happens almost instantaneously, as if a light were suddenly switched off.
The phrase is derived from the image of a light bulb being turned off, creating an immediate and complete darkness. In a similar way, when someone goes out like a light, they experience a similar sudden transition from being awake or conscious to being asleep or unconscious.
This expression is frequently used colloquially to describe situations when individuals quickly and easily drift into sleep, typically due to fatigue, exhaustion, or extreme tiredness. It can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who loses consciousness abruptly, such as from being knocked out or fainting.
Overall, "go out like a light" conveys the idea of a rapid and almost instant transition from wakefulness to sleep or from consciousness to unconsciousness, emphasizing the swiftness and ease with which someone falls asleep or loses awareness.