Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - out

~1 adv, adj (adv only after v, adj not before noun 1 »NOT INSIDE STH« from the inside of something  (She opened the envelope and took the letter out.) + of  (The diary must have fallen out of her pocket. | Someone has torn the last page out of the book I'm reading.) 2 »LEAVE A PLACE« from the inside part of something such as a building to the outside part  (Lock the door on your way out.) + of  (I don't think I'd have the courage to jump out of a plane.) ~ jumped/walked etc  (The plane door slid open, and out walked the princess.) 3 »NOT HOME« away from your home, especially because you are in a restaurant, party etc  (Let's go out to eat tonight. | That guy she likes has finally asked her out.) 4 »ABSENT« not in the place where you usually are, especially for a short time  (I'm sorry, my mother is out at the moment. | He went out at 11 o'clock.) 5 »OUTSIDE« outside  (Many of the homeless have been sleeping out for years. | Billy was out playing in the street.)  (- see outside2) 6 »GIVEN TO MANY PEOPLE« used to say that something is given to many people, a situation affects many people etc  (The examination will start when all the question papers have been handed out.) 7 »GET RID OF STH« used to say that something no longer exists or that someone has got rid of something  (These eggs are old, throw them out.) + of  (There's this stuff you can buy to get the stains out of delicate fabrics.) 8 »NOT INCLUDED« used to say that someone or something has not been included, not allowed to enter somewhere etc  (The house had a `Keep Out' sign in front.) + of  (Daniels has been left out of the team due to injury.) 9 »FIND STH« used to say that someone finds or discovers something + of  (If she knows what the plan is I'll soon get it out of her.) 10 »PRODUCE STH« used to say that someone or something produces something  (factories throwing out pollution into the atmosphere) + of  (A lot of good music came out of the hippy culture in the 1960s.) 11 »STICK OUT« used to say that something is very easy to see, feel etc because it is not part of the main part of something + of  (the nail sticking out of the chair | a small peninsula jutting out into the sea) 12 »CHOOSE STH« used to say that one person or thing is chosen or taken from a larger group  (Pick out something to wear. | singled out for punishment) 13 »DO STH COMPLETELY« used to say that something is done carefully and completely  (When the cupboard was cleared out I found some of my old books. | The work rota is a little confused but we'll sort it out.) 14 »PRODUCT« used to say that a product is available to be bought  (When's Archer's new book out? | Sony have brought out a new portable music system.) 15 »FREE« used to say that someone is no longer in prison or locked in a place against their will  (Once he was out it was only a matter of time till he reoffended.) + of  (I like to let my parrots out of their cage once in a while.) 16 »NOT FASHIONABLE« used to say that something is no longer fashionable  (You can't wear that, maxi skirts have been out for years.) 17 »SECRET« used to say that some information is no longer a secret  (Her secret was out. | The word's out that Mel Gibson is in town.) 18 »APPEAR« used to say that someone or something has suddenly appeared  (You don't often see daffodils out at this time of year. | The house looks so much better when the sun comes out.) 19 read/shout etc sth out (loud) to say something in a voice that is loud enough for others to hear  (The teacher made Ben read the note out to the whole class. | As I call out the winners' names, will you please approach the stage?) 20 watch/listen/mind etc out especially spoken used to tell someone to be careful  (Look out! There's a van coming.) 21 a fire or light that is out is no longer burning or shining  (Blow the candles out. | Suddenly the lights went out.) 22 »NOT AWAKE« a) used to say that someone is asleep  (be/go out like a light)  (The poor kid's exhausted. He went out like a light. | flat out)  (Ray spent the whole afternoon flat out on the sofa.) b) used to say that someone is no longer conscious  (He was out for about 10 minutes. | be out cold)  (How hard did you hit him? He's out cold.) 23 »DISTANT PLACE« used to say that someone goes to a place that is a long way away, very difficult to get to etc  (They've just moved out to a farm in Massachusetts. | He went out to Africa.) 24 wear/tire etc out to make someone feel extremely tired  (By the time she'd tidied up she was worn out.) 25 be/run/sell etc out to not have something because you have used it all, sold it all etc  (The album was sold out within minutes.) + of  (We've run out of coffee.) 26 think/plan etc it out to think, plan etc something very carefully before you do it  (It would be wiser to work it out with your financial advisors.) 27 »NOT WORKING« especially AmE if a machine, piece of equipment etc is out it is not working  (I don't believe it - the elevator's out again!)  (- see also out of order order1 (8)) 28 before the day/year etc is out before the day, year etc has ended  (Don't cry, I'll be back before the week's out.) 29 »MEASUREMENT« if a measurement, result etc is out, it is wrong because the numbers have not been calculated correctly  (He was out in his calculations, so there was a lot of carpet left over. | be out by -4/$5 etc)  (The bill was out by over -10. | be way out)  (These accounts are way out - the tax people will never accept them.) 30 be out for sth/be out to do sth informal to have a particular intention  (Mark my words - he's only out for one thing and that's her money. | These salesmen are out to trick you into buying something you just don't need.) 31 »NOT IN POWER« used to say that someone, especially a political party, no longer has power or authority  (It's time we voted the Republicans out.) 32 be the stupidest/silliest etc person out BrE to be extremely stupid, silly etc  (You've got to be the luckiest man out!) 33 »OFFICIAL PROTEST« BrE used to say that someone has stopped working as a way of protesting about something  (The doctors have come out in sympathy with the miners.) 34 »HOMOSEXUAL« if a homosexual is or comes out, they tell people that they are homosexual 35 sth's out used to say that a suggestion is not possible  ("What are we going to do?" "Well bowling's out because my wrist is killing me.") 36 »SEA« if the sea, the tide1 (1) etc is out, it is at its lowest level 37 »SPORT« a) a player or team that is out in a game such as cricket or baseball is no longer allowed to play in the game  (Sussex were all out for 365.) b) a ball that is out in a game such as tennis or basketball is outside the line 38 out with it! used to tell someone to say something that they are having difficulty saying  (OK, out with it! What really happened?.) 39 out you go! used to order someone to leave a room 40 be out of luck/condition etc used to say that someone or something is no longer in a particular state or situation  (She's not completely cured but at least she's out of danger. | This whole situation is getting out of control.) 41 be out of earshot/sight to be so far away from someone that they cannot hear you, see you etc  (I thought she was out of earshot or I wouldn't have said that.) 42 out of curiosity/interest etc because you are curious, interested etc  (Just out of curiosity, why did you take that job?) 43 out of wood, metal etc used to say what substance a particular thing is made of  (a little box made out of wood and decorated with flowers) 44 9 out of 10, 4 out of a hundred etc used to say that there are ten people or things and you are talking about nine of them  (Apparently they've lost three games out of seven already.) 45 be out of work/a job etc to not have a job  (those who have been out of work for over 6 months) 46 »MONEY« used to say where the money has come from to pay for something or buy something  (Can you believe he used money out of our bank account to pay for his trips with another woman?) 47 out of the way a) a place that is out of the way is fairly far from any town  (The camp site is a little out of the way but the views are magnificent.) b) if you get a problem out of the way you solve it so that you can do something else  (So, that's got the salary thing out of the way, let's move on to productivity.) 48 be out of your head/mind informal a) to be very worried  (His parents were out of their minds with worry when he didn't come home.) b) to be very drunk  (By the time I got to the party most people were out of their heads.) 49 be/feel out of it (all) a) informal to feel different from the rest of a group of people  (It was nice but I felt really out of it because I was the only one who couldn't speak French.) b) informal to be drunk  (You were really out of it last night. What were you drinking?) 50 »HORSE« technical having a particular horse as a mother + of  (Golden Trumpet, by Golden Rain out of Silver Trumpet)  (- compare by2, - see also out of the blue blue2 (4), out of the question question1 (8), out of sorts sort1 (5), out of this world world1 (13)) ~2 prep informal a) AmE used to say that someone or something is removed from inside something, leaves somewhere etc + of  (When I first came out of the army I worked in a drug store.) b) BrE used in a way which some people think is incorrect to say that someone or something is removed from inside something, leaves somewhere etc  (Get out the car and push with the rest of us!) ~3 v 1 T usually passive to publicly say that someone is homosexual when that person would prefer to keep it private  (Several gay politicians have been outed in recent months.) 2 truth/murder etc will out! used to say that it is difficult to hide the truth, a murder etc ~4 n 1 an excuse for not doing an activity or to avoid being blamed for something  (I have tons of work to do. At least that gives me an out.) 2 the state of no longer being allowed to take part in a particular game in a sport such as baseball  (- see also ins and outs)