How the heat can knock one out (9)
I believe the answer is:
eliminate
'out' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their base form, I can't understand how they can define each other.
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for eliminate that I've seen before include "Completely remove, get rid of" , "Exclude from further stage of competition" , "defeat" , "Take out" , "put out" .)