Used in informal situations among friends, not in formal writing or speeches. Your homemade pie knocks spots off the bakery's version.
Pro Tip 2/3
Competitive Edge
Often used when comparing and emphasizing one's superiority over others, especially in performance. This software knocks spots off the alternatives we tried.
Pro Tip 3/3
Not Literal
The phrase is metaphorical, meaning there aren't actual spots being knocked off. In last night's game, our team knocked spots off them!