[out of breath]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Not breathing easily or regularly; gasping; panting. •/The fat man was out of breath after climbing the stairs./ •/The mile run left Bill out of breath./
[out of character]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Not in agreement with a person’s character or personality; not in the way that a person usually behaves or is expected to behave; not usual; unsuitable; uncharacteristic. •/Mary is a nice girl. Her fit of temper was out of character./ 2. Not in character; unsuitable for a part or character. •/It isn’t always out of character for a young actor to play an old man, if he is a good actor./ Contrast: IN CHARACTER.
[out of circulation]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Not out in the company of friends, other people, and groups; not active; not joining in what others are doing. •/John has a job after school and is out of circulation with his friends./ Contrast: IN CIRCULATION.
[out of commission]{adj. phr.} 1. Retired from active military service; no longer on active duty. •/When the war was over, many warships were placed out of commission./ Contrast: IN COMMISSION(1). 2. Not in use or not working; so that it cannot work or be used. •/The strike put the airline out of commission for a week./ •/John will have to walk to the store. His bicycle is out of commission./ Compare: OUT OF ORDER. Contrast: IN COMMISSION(2).
[out of condition] See: OUT OF SHAPE or OUT OF CONDITION.
[out of date]{adj. phr.} Old fashioned; superseded; no longer valid; too old to be used. •/Father’s suit is out of date; he needs a new one./ •/The news magazines in the doctor’s office were all out of date./
[out of fashion]{adj. phr.} Having passed from vogue; out of the current mode. •/The miniskirt is now out of fashion in most quarters, but it may very well come back some day./
[out of gas]{adv. phr.} 1. Out of fuel (said of automobiles). •/Be sure you don’t run out of gas when you go on a long distance trip by car./ 2. Rundown; depleted of energy; in poor physical condition. •/Mary said she had to take a break from her job as she was running totally out of gas./
[out of gear] See: THROW OUT OF GEAR.
[out of hand]{adv. phr.} 1. Out of control. •/Bobby’s birthday party got out of hand and the children were naughty./ •/Small puppies often get out of hand./ 2. Suddenly, quickly without examination of possible truth or merit; without any consideration. — Often used after "dismiss" or "reject". •/The senator rejected out of hand the critics' call for his resignation./ Compare: OUT OF LINE. Contrast: IN HAND.
[out of hot water] See: HOT WATER.
[out of keeping]{adj. phr.} Not going well together; not agreeing; not proper. •/Loud talk was out of keeping in the library./ •/It was out of keeping for the kind man to kick the dog./ Contrast: IN KEEPING.
[out of kilter]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not balanced right; not in a straight line or lined up right. •/The scale must be out of kilter because when I weighed myself on it, it said 300 pounds./ •/The wheels of my bicycle were out of kilter after it hit the tree./ Contrast: IN BALANCE. 2. Needing repair; not working right. •/My watch runs too slowly; it must be out of kilter./ Syn.: OUT OF ORDER(2).
[out of line(1)]{adv. phr.} Not in a straight line; away from a true line. •/The two edges were out of line and there was a space between them./ •/The sergeant ordered the soldier who was out of line to get properly lined up./
[out of line(2)]{adj. phr.} Not obeying or agreeing with what is right or usual; doing or being what people do not expect or accept; outside ordinary or proper limits; not usual, right, or proper. •/Little Mary got out of line and was rude to Aunt Elizabeth./ •/The teacher asked Charlie not to tell one of the jokes because it was out of line./ •/Mrs. Green thought the repair man’s charge was out of line./ Compare: OUT OF HAND, OUT OF ORDER. Contrast: IN LINE(2).
[out of line with]{prep.} Not in agreement with. •/The price of the bicycle was out of line with what Bill could afford./
[out of luck]{adj. phr.} Being unlucky; having bad luck; having something bad happen to you. •/Mr. Jones missed his train and was out of luck in getting to the ball game on time./ •/All of the girls had dates so Ben was out of luck./
[out of mind] See: OUT OF SIGHT, out OF MIND.
[out of nowhere]{adv. phr.} Without having been seen before; suddenly and unexpectedly. •/Mr. Jones was driving too fast on the express highway when a police patrol car appeared out of nowhere and stopped him./ Syn.: OUT OF THE BLUE.
[out of one’s blood]{adv. phr.} Separate from one’s feelings, interests, or desires. •/When Tom moved to the city, he couldn’t get the country out of his blood./ •/Mary is having a hard job getting summer laziness out of her blood./ Contrast: IN ONE’S BLOOD.
[out of one’s element]{adv. phr.} Outside of your natural surroundings; where you do not belong or fit in. •/Wild animals are out of their element in cages./ •/Chris is out of his element in singing class./ Compare: OUT OF PLACE, BEYOND ONE’S DEPTH. Contrast: IN ONE’S ELEMENT.
[out of one’s hair]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Rid of as a nuisance; relieved of as an annoyance. •/Harry got the boys out of his hair so he could study./ Compare: OUT OF ONE’S WAY. Contrast: IN ONE’S HAIR.
[out of one’s hand] See: EAT OUT OF ONE’S HAND.
[out of one’s head] or [out of one’s mind] or [out of one’s senses] also [off one’s head] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Acting in a crazy way; especially, wildly crazy. •/The patient was feverish and out of his head and had to be watched./ •/Her friends thought she was out of her mind to marry that man./ Compare: OFF ONE’S ROCKER. Contrast: COME TO ONE’S SENSES.
[out of one’s mind] See: OUT OF ONE’S HEAD.
[out of one’s mouth] See: TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH, TAKE THE WORDS OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH.
[out of one’s pocket]{adv. phr.} Having sustained a financial loss; poorer by a said amount. •/The show was so bad that, besides having a lousy time, I was also $35 out of my pocket./
[out of one’s sails] See: TAKE THE WIND OUT OF ONE’S SAILS.
[out of one’s senses] See: OUT OF ONE’S HEAD.
[out of one’s shell]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Out of one’s bashfulness or silence; into friendly conversation. — Usually used after "come". •/John wouldn’t come out of his shell and talk to the boys and girls at the party./ •/The other girls tried to draw Ella out of her shell, but without success./ Contrast: IN ONE’S SHELL.
[out of one’s skin] See: JUMP OU T OF ONE’S SKIN.
[out of one’s way] See: OUT OF THE WAY(3).
[out of one’s wits] See: SCARE OUT OF ONE’S WITS.
[out of (one’s) reach]{adv. phr.} Unreachable; unattainable; unobtainable. •/Sam wanted to be a United States senator but he came to realize that such a dream was out of his reach./
[out of order]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In the wrong order; not coming after one another in the right way. •/Peter wrote the words of the sentence out of order./ •/Don’t get out of order, children. Stay in your places in line./ Contrast: IN ORDER. 2. In poor condition; not working properly. •/Our television set is out of order./ 3. Against the rules; not suitable. •/The judge told the people in the courtroom that they were out of order because they were so noisy./ •/The children’s whispering was out of order in the church./ Compare: OUT OF LINE, OUT OF PLACE, OUT OF THE WAY, OUT OF TURN, OUT OF COMMISSION(2). Contrast: IN ORDER.
[out of place(1)]{adv. phr.} Not in the right or usual place or position. •/Harry fell and knocked one of his teeth out of place./ •/The teacher lined up the class and told them not to get out of place./ Compare: OUT OF ORDER. Contrast: IN PLACE.
[out of place(2)]{adj. phr.} In the wrong place or at the wrong time; not suitable; improper. •/Joan was the only girl who wore a formal at the party, and she felt out of place./ •/It was out of place for Russell to laugh at the old lady./ Compare: OUT OF ONE’S ELEMENT, OUT OF ORDER, OUT OF THE WAY. Contrast: IN PLACE.
[out-of-pocket expenses]{n. phr.} Expenses one has to pay for oneself, not the company that sends one on a given assignment, such as tips for waiters, cab drivers, etc. •/Luckily, my out-of-pocket expenses didn’t amount to more than $15./
[out of practice]{adj. phr.} Not in proper condition; unable to do something well because of lack of practice. •/The basketball team got out of practice during the Christmas holidays./ Compare: OUT OF SHAPE. Contrast: IN PRACTICE.
[out of print]{adj. phr.} No longer obtainable from the publisher because the printed copies have been sold out; no longer printed. •/The book is out of print. An edition of one thousand copies was sold and no more copies were printed./ Compare: OUT OF STOCK. Contrast: IN PRINT.
[out of school] See: TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL.
[out of season]{adv. phr.} 1. Not at the right or lawful time for hunting or catching. •/The boys were caught fishing out of season./ 2. Not at the usual time for growing and selling. •/The corn we get out of season is different from the kind we grow here./ Contrast: IN SEASON.
[out of shape] or [out of condition] {adj. phr.} 1. Not in good condition; not able to perform well. •/Father was out of shape when he took a long hike with the boys, and he was stiff and sore the next day./ •/Jack’s pitching arm got out of condition during the winter, when he wasn’t using it./ Compare: OUT OF PRACTICE. 2. Not look the same; changed. •/Someone sat on father’s new hat and mashed it. It is now out of shape./ Contrast: IN SHAPE.
[out of sight]{adv. phr.} 1. Not within one’s field of vision. •/The sailboat disappeared out of sight over the horizon./ 2. Extremely expensive. •/The builder’s estimate was so high that it was out of sight./ 3. Unbelievable; fantastic; incredible (both in the positive and the negative sense; an exaggeration.) •/Roxanne is such a stunning beauty, it’s simply out of sight./ •/Mr. Gargoyle is so repulsive, it’s out of sight./ 4. Unreachable; unrealizable; belonging to the world of fiction and fantasy. •/Max’s dreams about winning the Senatorial election are really out of sight; he admits it himself./ Compare: PIPE DREAM.
[out of sight, out of mind] If one doesn’t see something for an extended period of time, one tends to forget about it. — A proverb. •/After Caroline moved out of town, Ray soon found other women to date. As the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind."/
[out of sorts]{adj. phr.} In an angry or unhappy mood; in a bad temper; grouchy. •/Mary was out of sorts and wouldn’t say good morning./ •/Bob was out of sorts because he didn’t get a bicycle for his birthday./
[out of step]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Not in step; not matching strides or keeping pace with another or others. •/George always marches out of step with the music./ 2. Out of harmony; not keeping up. — Often followed by "with". •/Just because you don’t smoke, it doesn’t mean you are out of step with other boys and girls your age./ Contrast: IN STEP.
[out of stock]{adj. phr.} Having none for sale or use; no longer in supply; sold out. •/When Father tried to get tires for an old car, the man in the store said that size was out of stock and were not sold anymore./ •/So many children have bought balloons that the store is now out of stock./ Compare: OUT OF PRINT. Contrast: IN STOCK.
[out of the blue] or [out of a clear sky] or [out of a clear blue sky] {adv. phr.}, {informal} Without any warning; by surprise; unexpectedly. •/At the last minute Johnny came out of the blue to catch the pass and score a touchdown./ •/The cowboy thought he was alone but suddenly out of a clear sky there were bandits all around him./ Syn.: OUT OF NOWHERE. Compare: BOLT FROM THE BLUE.
[out of the corner of one’s eye]{adv. phr.} Without looking at a person or thing directly or openly; secretly; without being noticed. •/The cat looked at the mouse out of the corner of his eye./ •/Mike watched the boys across the street out of the corner of his eye as he mowed the lawn./
