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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Out of use

Out \Out\ (out), adv. [OE. out, ut, oute, ute, AS. [=u]t, and [=u]te, [=u]tan, fr. [=u]t; akin to D. uit, OS. [=u]t, G. aus, OHG. [=u]z, Icel. [=u]t, Sw. ut, Dan. ud, Goth. ut, Skr. ud. [root]198. Cf. About, But, prep., Carouse, Utter, a.] In its original and strict sense, out means from the interior of something; beyond the limits or boundary of somethings; in a position or relation which is exterior to something; -- opposed to in or into. The something may be expressed after of, from, etc. (see Out of, below); or, if not expressed, it is implied; as, he is out; or, he is out of the house, office, business, etc.; he came out; or, he came out from the ship, meeting, sect, party, etc. Out is used in a variety of applications, as:

  1. Away; abroad; off; from home, or from a certain, or a usual, place; not in; not in a particular, or a usual, place; as, the proprietor is out, his team was taken out. Opposite of in. ``My shoulder blade is out.''
    --Shak.

    He hath been out (of the country) nine years.
    --Shak.

  2. Beyond the limits of concealment, confinement, privacy, constraint, etc., actual or figurative; hence, not in concealment, constraint, etc., in, or into, a state of freedom, openness, disclosure, publicity, etc.; a matter of public knowledge; as, the sun shines out; he laughed out, to be out at the elbows; the secret has leaked out, or is out; the disease broke out on his face; the book is out.

    Leaves are out and perfect in a month.
    --Bacon.

    She has not been out [in general society] very long.
    --H. James.

  3. Beyond the limit of existence, continuance, or supply; to the end; completely; hence, in, or into, a condition of extinction, exhaustion, completion; as, the fuel, or the fire, has burned out; that style is on the way out. ``Hear me out.''
    --Dryden.

    Deceitful men shall not live out half their days.
    --Ps. iv. 23.

    When the butt is out, we will drink water.
    --Shak.

  4. Beyond possession, control, or occupation; hence, in, or into, a state of want, loss, or deprivation; -- used of office, business, property, knowledge, etc.; as, the Democrats went out and the Whigs came in; he put his money out at interest. ``Land that is out at rack rent.''
    --Locke. ``He was out fifty pounds.''
    --Bp. Fell.

    I have forgot my part, and I am out.
    --Shak.

  5. Beyond the bounds of what is true, reasonable, correct, proper, common, etc.; in error or mistake; in a wrong or incorrect position or opinion; in a state of disagreement, opposition, etc.; in an inharmonious relation. ``Lancelot and I are out.''
    --Shak.

    Wicked men are strangely out in the calculating of their own interest.
    --South.

    Very seldom out, in these his guesses.
    --Addison.

  6. Not in the position to score in playing a game; not in the state or turn of the play for counting or gaining scores.

  7. Out of fashion; unfashionable; no longer in current vogue; unpopular. Note: Out is largely used in composition as a prefix, with the same significations that it has as a separate word; as outbound, outbreak, outbuilding, outcome, outdo, outdoor, outfield. See also the first Note under Over, adv. Day in, day out, from the beginning to the limit of each of several days; day by day; every day. Out at, Out in, Out on, etc., elliptical phrases, that to which out refers as a source, origin, etc., being omitted; as, out (of the house and) at the barn; out (of the house, road, fields, etc., and) in the woods. Three fishers went sailing out into the west, Out into the west, as the sun went down. --C. Kingsley. Note: In these lines after out may be understood, ``of the harbor,'' ``from the shore,'' ``of sight,'' or some similar phrase. The complete construction is seen in the saying: ``Out of the frying pan into the fire.'' Out from, a construction similar to out of (below). See Of and From. Out of, a phrase which may be considered either as composed of an adverb and a preposition, each having its appropriate office in the sentence, or as a compound preposition. Considered as a preposition, it denotes, with verbs of movement or action, from the interior of; beyond the limit: from; hence, origin, source, motive, departure, separation, loss, etc.; -- opposed to in or into; also with verbs of being, the state of being derived, removed, or separated from. Examples may be found in the phrases below, and also under Vocabulary words; as, out of breath; out of countenance. Out of cess, beyond measure, excessively. --Shak. Out of character, unbecoming; improper. Out of conceit with, not pleased with. See under Conceit. Out of date, not timely; unfashionable; antiquated. Out of door, Out of doors, beyond the doors; from the house; not inside a building; in, or into, the open air; hence, figuratively, shut out; dismissed. See under Door, also, Out-of-door, Outdoor, Outdoors, in the Vocabulary. ``He 's quality, and the question's out of door,'' --Dryden. Out of favor, disliked; under displeasure. Out of frame, not in correct order or condition; irregular; disarranged. --Latimer. Out of hand, immediately; without delay or preparation; without hesitation or debate; as, to dismiss a suggestion out of hand. ``Ananias . . . fell down and died out of hand.'' --Latimer. Out of harm's way, beyond the danger limit; in a safe place. Out of joint, not in proper connection or adjustment; unhinged; disordered. ``The time is out of joint.'' --Shak. Out of mind, not in mind; forgotten; also, beyond the limit of memory; as, time out of mind. Out of one's head, beyond commanding one's mental powers; in a wandering state mentally; delirious. [Colloq.] Out of one's time, beyond one's period of minority or apprenticeship. Out of order, not in proper order; disarranged; in confusion. Out of place, not in the usual or proper place; hence, not proper or becoming. Out of pocket, in a condition of having expended or lost more money than one has received. Out of print, not in market, the edition printed being exhausted; -- said of books, pamphlets, etc. Out of the question, beyond the limits or range of consideration; impossible to be favorably considered. Out of reach, beyond one's reach; inaccessible. Out of season, not in a proper season or time; untimely; inopportune. Out of sorts, wanting certain things; unsatisfied; unwell; unhappy; cross. See under Sort, n. Out of temper, not in good temper; irritated; angry. Out of time, not in proper time; too soon, or too late. Out of time, not in harmony; discordant; hence, not in an agreeing temper; fretful. Out of twist, Out of winding, or Out of wind, not in warped condition; perfectly plain and smooth; -- said of surfaces. Out of use, not in use; unfashionable; obsolete. Out of the way.

    1. On one side; hard to reach or find; secluded.

    2. Improper; unusual; wrong.

      Out of the woods, not in a place, or state, of obscurity or doubt; free from difficulty or perils; safe. [Colloq.]

      Out to out, from one extreme limit to another, including the whole length, breadth, or thickness; -- applied to measurements.

      Out West, in or towards, the West; specifically, in some Western State or Territory. [U. S.]

      To come out, To cut out, To fall out, etc. See under Come, Cut, Fall, etc.

      To make out See to make out under make, v. t. and v. i..

      To put out of the way, to kill; to destroy.

      Week in, week out. See Day in, day out (above).

Out of use

Use \Use\, n. [OE. us use, usage, L. usus, from uti, p. p. usus, to use. See Use, v. t.]

  1. The act of employing anything, or of applying it to one's service; the state of being so employed or applied; application; employment; conversion to some purpose; as, the use of a pen in writing; his machines are in general use.

    Books can never teach the use of books.
    --Bacon.

    This Davy serves you for good uses.
    --Shak.

    When he framed All things to man's delightful use.
    --Milton.

  2. Occasion or need to employ; necessity; as, to have no further use for a book.
    --Shak.

  3. Yielding of service; advantage derived; capability of being used; usefulness; utility.

    God made two great lights, great for their use To man.
    --Milton.

    'T is use alone that sanctifies expense.
    --Pope.

  4. Continued or repeated practice; customary employment; usage; custom; manner; habit.

    Let later age that noble use envy.
    --Spenser.

    How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world!
    --Shak.

  5. Common occurrence; ordinary experience. [R.]

    O C[ae]sar! these things are beyond all use.
    --Shak.

  6. (Eccl.) The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese; as, the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc.

    From henceforth all the whole realm shall have but one use.
    --Pref. to Book of Common Prayer.

  7. The premium paid for the possession and employment of borrowed money; interest; usury. [Obs.]

    Thou art more obliged to pay duty and tribute, use and principal, to him.
    --Jer. Taylor.

  8. [In this sense probably a corruption of OF. oes, fr. L. opus need, business, employment, work. Cf. Operate.] (Law) The benefit or profit of lands and tenements. Use imports a trust and confidence reposed in a man for the holding of lands. He to whose use or benefit the trust is intended shall enjoy the profits. An estate is granted and limited to A for the use of B.

  9. (Forging) A stab of iron welded to the side of a forging, as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging. Contingent use, or Springing use (Law), a use to come into operation on a future uncertain event. In use.

    1. In employment; in customary practice observance.

    2. In heat; -- said especially of mares.
      --J. H. Walsh.

      Of no use, useless; of no advantage.

      Of use, useful; of advantage; profitable.

      Out of use, not in employment.

      Resulting use (Law), a use, which, being limited by the deed, expires or can not vest, and results or returns to him who raised it, after such expiration.

      Secondary use, or Shifting use, a use which, though executed, may change from one to another by circumstances.
      --Blackstone.

      Statute of uses (Eng. Law), the stat. 27 Henry VIII., cap. 10, which transfers uses into possession, or which unites the use and possession.

      To make use of, To put to use, to employ; to derive service from; to use.

WordNet
out of use

adj. closed to traffic; "the repaving results in many blocked streets" [syn: blocked, out of use(p)]