What is "out of place"

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).

Place \Place\ (pl[=a]s), n. [F., fr. L. platea a street, an area, a courtyard, from Gr. platei^a a street, properly fem. of platy`s, flat, broad; akin to Skr. p[.r]thu, Lith. platus. Cf. Flawn, Piazza, Plate, Plaza.]

1. Any portion of space regarded as measured off or distinct from all other space, or appropriated to some definite object or use; position; ground; site; spot; rarely, unbounded space.

   Here is the place appointed.
   --Shak.

   What place can be for us Within heaven's bound?
   --Milton.

   The word place has sometimes a more confused sense, and stands for that space which any body takes up; and so the universe is a place.
   --Locke.

2. A broad way in a city; an open space; an area; a court or short part of a street open only at one end. ``Hangman boys in the market place.''
   --Shak.

3. A position which is occupied and held; a dwelling; a mansion; a village, town, or city; a fortified town or post; a stronghold; a region or country.

   Are you native of this place?
   --Shak.

4. Rank; degree; grade; order of priority, advancement, dignity, or importance; especially, social rank or position; condition; also, official station; occupation; calling. ``The enervating magic of place.''
   --Hawthorne.

   Men in great place are thrice servants.
   --Bacon.

   I know my place as I would they should do theirs.
   --Shak.

5. Vacated or relinquished space; room; stead (the departure or removal of another being or thing being implied). ``In place of Lord Bassanio.''
   --Shak.

6. A definite position or passage of a document.

   The place of the scripture which he read was this.
   --Acts viii. 32.

7. Ordinal relation; position in the order of proceeding; as, he said in the first place.

8. Reception; effect; -- implying the making room for.

   My word hath no place in you.
   --John viii. 37.

9. (Astron.) Position in the heavens, as of a heavenly body; -- usually defined by its right ascension and declination, or by its latitude and longitude.

10. (Racing) The position of first, second, or third at the finish, esp. the second position. In betting, to win a bet on a horse for place it must, in the United States, finish first or second, in England, usually, first, second, or third. Place of arms (Mil.), a place calculated for the rendezvous of men in arms, etc., as a fort which affords a safe retreat for hospitals, magazines, etc. --Wilhelm. High place (Script.), a mount on which sacrifices were offered. ``Him that offereth in the high place.'' --Jer. xlviii. 35. In place, in proper position; timely. Out of place, inappropriate; ill-timed; as, his remarks were out of place. Place kick (Football), the act of kicking the ball after it has been placed on the ground. Place name, the name of a place or locality. --London Academy. To give place, to make room; to yield; to give way; to give advantage. ``Neither give place to the devil.'' --Eph. iv. 27. ``Let all the rest give place.'' --Shak. To have place, to have a station, room, or seat; as, such desires can have no place in a good heart. To take place.

    1. To come to pass; to occur; as, the ceremony will not take place.

    2. To take precedence or priority.
       --Addison.

    3. To take effect; to prevail. ``If your doctrine takes place.''
       --Berkeley. ``But none of these excuses would take place.''
       --Spenser.

       To take the place of, to be substituted for.

       Syn: Situation; seat; abode; position; locality; location; site; spot; office; employment; charge; function; trust; ground; room; stead.

prep.phr. (context idiomatic English) Not in the proper situation or arrangement, or inappropriate for the circumstances.

1. adj. of an inappropriate or misapplied nature [syn: inapposite]

2. not in a proper arrangement; "not a hair was out of place" [syn: out of place(p)]

Out of Place is a surfing documentary directed by Scott Ditzenberger and Darrin McDonald that follows the lives of several lake surfers in Cleveland, Ohio. While Lake Erie does not offer the quality of waves they would prefer, business commitments, family, and friends keep them from moving. As the best waves occur in the winter, the surfers often experience freezing conditions including during a snow bound Great Lakes Eastern Surfing Association competition featured in the film.