Read on blog or Reader Pascal Tréguer posted: "The phrase to knock (also to beat, to kick, etc.) seven bells out of somebody means: to give a severe beating to somebody. In this phrase, which originated in nautical slang, the noun bell refers to the bell which is struck on shipboard, every half hour," word histories Read on blog or Reader 'to knock seven bells out of somebody': meaning—and origin? Pascal Tréguer February 17 USA, 1826, as 'to flog somebody like seven bells'—to give a severe beating to somebody—'seven' is perhaps simply an arbitrary intensifier—cf. phrases such as 'like seven bells half-struck' ('with as much speed as possible') and 'to blow seven bells' ('to blow a violent gale') Read more of this post Comment Like You can also reply to this email to leave a comment.

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