TKO
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Technical knockout |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Sports, Medical |
TKO has two meanings. It stands for Technical knockout (other sports) or To keep open (nursing).
Meanings of TKO at a glance
| # | TKO stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technical knockout | Sports › Other Sports |
| 2 | To keep open | Medical › Nursing |
1. Technical knockout
Sports · Other Sports Abbreviations
Victory awarded when the referee stops a fight because a fighter cannot defend himself, the ringside doctor rules he cannot continue, or his corner throws in the towel. In MMA, most TKOs come from strikes on the ground or standing.
Example: The referee waved it off for a TKO after a flurry of unanswered punches.
Some boxing jurisdictions also use a three-knockdown rule, ending the round automatically. Records often combine KO and TKO wins as "KOs". TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC and WWE, took its name from the term.
2. To keep open
Medical · Nursing Abbreviations
Order for a minimal IV rate that prevents a catheter from clotting while no therapeutic infusion is running. It is interchangeable with KVO in most hospitals and common in paramedic protocols.
Example: Establish large-bore IV, NS TKO, cardiac monitor, 12-lead ECG en route.
Prehospital protocols often say "IV NS TKO" for patients who may need rapid medications. The letters also mean "technical knockout" in boxing, which is unrelated. Because unwritten TKO defaults differ between pumps, units and countries, orders should specify a rate in mL per hour.
Related abbreviations
More other sports abbreviations
- T&F – Track and field
- T20 – Twenty20
- TB – Tiebreak
- TdF – Tour de France
- TMO – Television match official
- UD – Unanimous decision
- UE – Unforced error
- VSC – Virtual safety car
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More nursing abbreviations
- T&P – Turn and position
- TCDB – Turn, cough, deep breathe
- TEDs – Thromboembolic deterrent stockings
- TF – Tube feeding
- TWE – Tap water enema
- UOP – Urine output
- VAC – Vacuum-assisted closure
- w/ – With
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.