knock into a cocked hat

verb2

1. •
   (informal, figurative) To completely demolish, nullify, overthrow, or otherwise defeat (a person; an argument, idea, or proposition; or a thing).

   • All the original ideas we had were knocked into a cocked hat by the latest survey.
2. •
   (informal, old-fashioned) To beat up or seriously injure (a person); to badly damage (a thing).

   • […] I jumped up and told Tom a short horse was soon curried, and I'd knock him into a cocked-hat if he said another word. And that broke up the conversation. — 1832