What is "out of the question"

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).

Question \Ques"tion\, n. [F., fr. L. quaestio, fr. quaerere, quaesitum, to seek for, ask, inquire. See Quest, n.]

1. The act of asking; interrogation; inquiry; as, to examine by question and answer.

2. Discussion; debate; hence, objection; dispute; doubt; as, the story is true beyond question; he obeyed without question.

   There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. -- John iii. 25.

   It is to be to question, whether it be lawful for Christian princes to make an invasive war simply for the propagation of the faith. -- Bacon.

3. Examination with reference to a decisive result; investigation; specifically, a judicial or official investigation; also, examination under torture.
   --Blackstone.

   He that was in question for the robbery. Shak. The Scottish privy council had power to put state prisoners to the question.
   --Macaulay.

4. That which is asked; inquiry; interrogatory; query.

   But this question asked Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain ?
   --Milton.

5. Hence, a subject of investigation, examination, or debate; theme of inquiry; matter to be inquired into; as, a delicate or doubtful question.

6. Talk; conversation; speech; speech. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

   In question, in debate; in the course of examination or discussion; as, the matter or point in question.

   Leading question. See under Leading.

   Out of question, unquestionably. ``Out of question, 't is Maria's hand.''
   --Shak.

   Out of the question. See under Out.

   Past question, beyond question; certainly; undoubtedly; unquestionably.

   Previous question, a question put to a parliamentary assembly upon the motion of a member, in order to ascertain whether it is the will of the body to vote at once, without further debate, on the subject under consideration.

   Note: The form of the question is: ``Shall the main question be now put?'' If the vote is in the affirmative, the matter before the body must be voted upon as it then stands, without further general debate or the submission of new amendments. In the House of Representatives of the United States, and generally in America, a negative decision operates to keep the business before the body as if the motion had not been made; but in the English Parliament, it operates to postpone consideration for the day, and until the subject may be again introduced. In American practice, the object of the motion is to hasten action, and it is made by a friend of the measure. In English practice, the object is to get rid of the subject for the time being, and the motion is made with a purpose of voting against it.
   --Cushing.

   To beg the question. See under Beg.

   To the question, to the point in dispute; to the real matter under debate.

   Syn: Point; topic; subject.

a. (lb en idiomatic) impossible to even contemplate.

adj. totally unlikely [syn: impossible, inconceivable, unimaginable]

Out of the Question is an Australian chat and game show hosted by comedian Glenn Robbins. The show features Robbins quizzing celebrity guests on current events and popular culture. Each episode is recorded at Melbourne's HSV-7 digital studios at Melbourne Docklands within 48 hours of its airing.

The show premiered on Thursday 31 January 2008 at on the Seven Network. Despite lacklustre prime time ratings for the initial batch of seven episodes, a new series began airing from 29 September 2008 at a later 10:30pm timeslot.

Out of the Question may refer to:

• " Out of the Question", a 1973 hit single by Gilbert O'Sullivan
• " Out of the Question", a 2007 single by Mumm-Ra
• Out of the Question (game show), an Australian chat and game show

"Out of the Question" is a popular song by Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan. It was written by O'Sullivan and produced by Gordon Mills.

The song became a hit predominantly in the U.S. (#17) and Canada (#9). It was a much bigger adult contemporary hit, reaching number two and number one in those nations, respectively.