[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.