Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[out of a bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.
[out of account] See: LEAVE OUT OF ACCOUNT.
[out of a clear sky] or [out of a clear blue sky] See: OUT OF THE BLUE.
[out of action] <adv. phr.> Useless; crippled; damaged so as to be quiescent. * /American bombers put Nazi heavy industry out of action during World War II./ * /When I broke my leg I was out of action for the entire football season./
[out of all proportion] <adv. phr.> Disproportionate; lopsided. * /The news coverage of the sensational celebrity double murder has grown out of all proportion, obscuring the international news./
[out of bounds] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Outside of the boundary lines in a game; not on or inside the playing field. * /Bill thought he had scored a touchdown, but he had stepped out of bounds before he reached the goal line./ 2. Outside of a circumscribed area for a certain kind of work, such as construction or military site. * /The principal told the students that the new gymnasium being built on the school grounds was out of bounds./ * /The captain's cabin is out of bounds to the passengers on the ship./ Contrast: WITHIN BOUNDS. 3. Outside of safe or proper limits; not doing what is proper; breaking the rules of good behavior. * /John was out of bounds when he called Tom a liar in the meeting./ * /His request for a 25% salary raise was totally out of bounds./
[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.