[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./
[out of the frying pan into the fire] Out of one trouble into worse trouble; from something bad to something worse. — A proverb. •/The movie cowboy was out of the frying pan into the fire. After he escaped from the robbers, he was captured by Indians./
[out of the hole]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. With a score better than zero in a game; especially a card game, to a score above zero. •/It took us a long time to get out of the hole in the card game./ 1b. Even with an opponent after being behind; out of trouble in a sport or game. •/The team played very hard, but could not get out of the hole./ 2. Out of debt; ahead financially. •/It was a small business, but it was wisely managed, and it kept out of the hole./ •/The first year was bad, but after that Fred got out of the hole./ Contrast: IN THE HOLE.
[out of the ordinary]{adj. phr.} Outside or beyond common experience; unusual; wonderful; extraordinary. •/The parade will be something out of the ordinary because a real king will be there./ •/This juggler was out of the ordinary because he could juggle with his feet as well as his hands./
[out of the picture]{adv. phr.} No longer a possibility or in the running; rejected. •/Mark assured Carol that his ex-wife was completely out of the picture./
[out of the question]{adj. phr.} Not worth considering; unthinkable; impossible. •/It sometimes snows as late as June in the mountains, but the summer campers thought that snow was out of the question./ •/The boys had no money, so it was out of the question for them to go to the movies./
[out of the rain] See: KNOW ENOUGH TO COME IN OUT OF THE RAIN.
[out of the red]{adv. phr.} Having reached solvency; no longer in debt. •/Under the new management, our company finally got out of the red./ Contrast: IN THE HOLE, IN THE RED. Compare: IN THE BLACK.
[out of the running]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Having no chance to win; not among the real contenders; not among those to be considered. •/John had been out of the running since his first date with Mary, but he didn’t realize it./ •/Jones’s horse was put out of the running early in the race./ Contrast: IN THE RUNNING.
[out of the swim]{adj. phr.} Not doing what others are doing; not active in business or social affairs. •/Mary had to stay home and take care of Mother while she was sick, and soon felt out of the swim./ •/The toy manufacturer who is out of the swim will lose money./ Contrast: IN THE SWIM.
[out of the way]{adv. phr.} 1. Not where people usually go; difficult to reach. •/When little Tommy comes to visit her, Aunt Sally puts her lamps and vases out of the way./ — Often used with hyphens before a noun. •/Gold was found in an out-of-the-way village in the mountains, and soon a good road and airfield were built./ •/Jack and Fred found an old gun in an out-of-the-way corner of the empty house./ Compare: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK. 2. Not what is usual or proper; strange. •/To leave before the guest of honor would be out of the way./ •/I’m sorry if I said something out of the way./ •/The night watchman looked around the building, but he saw nothing out of the way./ Compare: OUT OF PLACE. 3. or [out of one’s way] Not able to stop or bother you. •/Tommy wished the visitors were out of the way so that he could have the candy for himself./ Compare: OUT OF ONE’S HAIR, PUT OUT OF THE WAY.
[out of the woods] See: CROW BEFORE ONE IS OUT OF THE WOODS.
[out of thin air]{adv. phr.} Out of nothing or from nowhere. •/The teacher scolded Dick because his story was made out of thin air./ •/On the way home from town, Tom saw a house standing on the lot that had been empty that morning; it seemed to have appeared out of thin air./ Compare: INTO THIN AIR.
[out of this world]{adj. phr.}, {slang} Wonderfully good or satisfying; terrific; super. •/The dress in the store window was out of this world!/ •/Mother was on TV last night. Isn’t that out of this world?/
[out of touch]{adj. phr.} Not writing or talking with each other; not getting news anymore. •/Fred had got out of touch with people in his hometown./ •/On his island Robinson Crusoe was out of touch with world news./ Compare: LOSE TOUCH, LOSE TRACK. Contrast: IN TOUCH.
[out of town]{adv. phr.} Having left one’s usual residence or place of work on a longer trip. •/"Mr. Smith is out of town until Monday," the secretary said. "May I take a message?"/
[out of tune]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Out of proper musical pitch; too low or high in sound. •/The band sounded terrible, because the instruments were out of tune./ 2. Not in agreement; in disagreement; not going well together. — Often used with "with". •/What Jack said was out of tune with how he looked; he said he was happy, but he looked unhappy./ Compare: OFF-KEY. Contrast: IN TUNE.
[out of turn]{adv. phr.} 1. Not in regular order; at the wrong time. •/John played out of turn./ •/By taking a day off out of turn, Bob got the schedule mixed up./ 2. Too hastily or wrongly; at the wrong time or place; so as to annoy others. •/Dick loses friends by speaking out of turn./
[out of wedlock] See: BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK.
[out of whack]{adj. phr.}, {slang}1. Needing repair; not working right. •/Ben was glad the lawn mower got out of whack, because he didn’t have to mow the lawn./ Syn.: OUT OF ORDER. 2. Not going together well; not in agreement. •/The things Mr. Black does are out of whack with what he says./ •/George’s earnings and his spending were out of whack./ Compare: OUT OF LINE.
[out of work]{adv. phr.} Having no income-producing job; unemployed. •/When too many people are out of work, it is a sign that the economy is in a recession./
[out on a limb]{adv. phr.} With your beliefs and opinions openly stated; in a dangerous position that can’t be changed. •/The president went out on a limb and supported a foreign aid bill that many people were against./ •/Grandfather went out on a limb before the summer was over and said that the next winter would be long and cold with many snowstorms./
[out on bail]{adv. phr.} Released from prison because a security deposit known as "bail" has been put up by an individual or a bail bond broker. •/The murder suspect was out on a one million dollar bail awaiting trial./
[out on parole]{adv. phr.} Released from prison but still under the supervision of the police. •/Although Henry is out on parole he must watch his step very carefully. If he commits another burglary he may have to go to jail for a very long time./
[out on the town]{adv. phr.} Going from one bar or restaurant to the next in order to celebrate an event. •/They all went out on the town to celebrate his promotion to vice president./
[outside of]{prep.} 1. Not in; outside. •/I would not want to meet a lion outside of a zoo./ Contrast: INSIDE OF. 2. Except for; not including. •/Outside of Johnny, all the boys on the basketball team are over six feet tall./ •/Mrs. Cox had no jewelry outside of her wedding ring./ Syn.: APART FROM.
[out to lunch]{adj.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. Gone for the midday meal. 2. Inattentive; daydreaming; inefficient; stupid. •/Neil Bender is just out to lunch today./
[overall]{adj.} All inclusive; comprehensive. •/What our department needs is an overall revamping of our undergraduate curriculum./
[over a barrel] also [over the barrel] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In the power of your enemies; not able to do anything about what happens to you; in a helpless condition; trapped. •/Bill had Tom over a barrel because Tom owed him money./ •/Ralph has me over a barrel; I need five dollars, and he won’t lend it to me unless I let him use my bicycle./ Compare: ON THE ROPES.
[over age]{adj. phr.} Too old; not young enough; above the legal age. •/Grandfather wanted to fight in World War II, but he could not because he was over age./ Contrast: UNDER AGE.
[over and done with]{adj. phr.} Finished; completed; forgotten. •/Norm and Meg’s affair has been over and done with for a long time./
[overboard] See: GO OFF THE DEEP END or GO OVERBOARD.
[overhead]{n.} Expenses incurred in the upkeep of one’s plant and premises, employees' salaries, etc., which are not due to the cost of individual items or products. •/"Our overhead is killing us!" the used car lot owner complained. "We have to move to a cheaper place."/
[overnight]{adj.} 1. From one evening until the next morning. •/We could drive from Chicago to Detroit in one day, but it would be more comfortable if we stayed overnight in a motel./ 2. Rapidly. •/When Tom won the lottery he became a rich man overnight./
[over one’s dead body]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Not having the ability to stop something undesirable from taking place. •/"You will get married at age sixteen over my dead body!" Jane’s father cried./
[over one’s head]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Not understandable; beyond your ability to understand; too hard or strange for you to understand. •/Mary laughed just to be polite, but the joke was really over her head./ •/The lesson today was hard; it went over my head./ Compare: BEYOND ONE’S DEPTH. 2. To a more important person in charge; to a higher official. •/When Mary’s supervisor said no, Mary went over her head to the person in charge of the whole department./ •/If Johnny can’t get what he wants from his big sister, he goes over her head and asks his mother./ 3. See: HANG OVER ONE’S HEAD.
[over spilled milk] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.
[over the coals] See: HAUL OVER THE COALS or RAKE OVER THE COALS.
[over the hill]{adj.}, {informal} Past one’s prime; unable to function as one used to; senile. •/Poor Mr. Jones is sure not like he used to be; well, he’s over the hill./
[over the hump]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Past the most difficult part; past the crisis; out of danger. •/Mary was failing math, but she is over the hump now./ •/John was very sick after his accident, hut he’s over the hump./ •/When Mr. Smith was out of work it looked as if his family would have to go on relief, but they got over the hump./
[over the long haul] See: IN THE LONG RUN. Contrast: OVER THE SHORT HAUL.
[over the short haul] See: IN THE SHORT RUN. Contrast: OVER THE LONG HAUL.
[over the top]{adv. phr.} 1. Out of the trenches and against the enemy. •/The plan was to spend the night in the trenches and go over the top at dawn./ •/Johnny found that he was braver than he thought he would be when his company went over the top./ 2. Over the goal. •/Our goal was to collect a half million dollars for the new school building, but we went over the top./ •/Mary was asked to sell twenty tickets, and she went over the top./
[over the traces] See: KICK OVER THE TRACES.
[over with(1)]{prep.} At the end of; finished with; through with. •/They were over with the meeting by ten o’clock./ •/By Saturday Mary will be over with the measles./
[over with(2)]{adj.}, {informal} At an end; finished. •/John knew his mother would scold him for losing the money, and he wanted to get it over with./ •/After the hard test, Jerry said, "I’m glad that’s over with!"/
[own] See: COME INTO ONE’S OWN, DOSE OF ONE’S OWN MEDICINE, HOLD ONE’S OWN, IN A WORLD OF ONE’S OWN, KEEP ONE’S OWN COUNSEL, OF ONE’S OWN ACCORD or OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL, ON ONE’S OWN ACCOUNT or ON ONE’S OWN HOOK, ON ONE’S OWN TIME, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE’S OWN HANDS, UNDER ONE’S OWN STEAM.
