Verb
(transitive, originally US, colloquial, dated) To beat up or seriously injure (a person); to badly damage (a thing).
Synonym: beat into a cocked hat
(transitive, chiefly Britain, colloquial, figuratively) To completely demolish, nullify, overthrow, or otherwise defeat (a person; an argument, idea, or proposition; or a thing).
Synonym: beat into a cocked hat
All the original ideas we had were knocked into a cocked hat by the latest survey.