Words & TermsSport and recreation
king-hit
Also: king hit
A sudden knockout blow, often an unexpected or unfair punch.
In a sentence
The campaign urged people to say coward punch instead of king-hit.
Where it came from
King-hit developed from sporting language for a decisive blow but came to describe a sudden, often unexpected punch. Because the term can sound approving, public-safety campaigns promote alternatives such as coward punch.
- Initial era
- 1850–1899
- Where used
- Australian use; no narrower regional pattern established
- Use today
- Current but contested terminology