Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[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. /

[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. /