From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
The magician tapped the hat, and a rabbit jumped out.
There was a hole in the bucket, and all the water leaked out.
2
Away from, or at a distance from, some point of reference or focus.
Once they had landed, the commandos quickly spread out along the beach.
For six hours the tide flows out, then for six hours it flows in.
3 more examples
He lives out in Australia.
It's three miles out to the island.
The Joneses don't live here any more. They moved out three months ago.
3
Specifically, away from home or one's usual place.
Let’s eat out tonight
4
Away from the doer, especially vigorously.
hit out, lash out, speak out, shout out, yell out
5
Informal Away, or at a distance, in time (relative to, and usually before, a stated event, or into the future) (often preceded by a stated time period and followed by "from" or "to")
Five weeks out from the passage of the law, something has to change.
The election is a long way out.
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Work may shift out as much as two weeks.
6
Outside; not indoors.
Last night we slept out under the stars.
It's cold out.
7
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Of the ball or other playing implement, so as to pass or be situated beyond the bounds of the playing area.
The football caught the edge of the line but then bounced out.
8
Into a state of non-operation or non-existence.
Turn the lights out.
Put the fire out.
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I painted out that nasty mark on the wall.
9
To the end; completely; so that nothing remains.
I haven’t finished. Hear me out.
Sorry love, we've got no bananas. We've sold out.
3 more examples
write out
Deceitful men shall not live out half their days.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalm 4:23:
I'm all cried out / You took a whole lot of loving for a handful of nothing1984, "All cried out", song by English singer-songwriter Alison Moyet
10
Shows that an activity has been completed to the point of exhaustion.
After hours at the party, she was all danced out.
11
Used to intensify or emphasize.
The place was all decked out for the holidays.
12
Into a state of existence or visibility.
The singer is bringing out a new album next month.
The sun has brought the flowers out.
13
Usually, Of the sun So as to be visible in the sky, and not covered by clouds, fog, etc.
Moon; stars; moon; stars
The sun came out after the rain, and we saw a rainbow.
14
Ball games, Baseball, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, SportsOf a player So as to be disqualified from playing further by some action of a member of the opposing team (such as being stumped in cricket or a forced out in baseball).
Wilson was bowled out for five runs.
First ball hit me on the 'and, second 'ad me on the knee, the third was in my eye, the fourth bowled me out.1876, The School newspaper Vol. [2 issues of vols. 31 and 32]., page 66:
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Hayes batted for Reed and grounded out, Murray unassisted.1984, Official Baseball Guide, page 211:
So, first guy, Larry strikes him out, good fastball in on his hands.2007, Philip R. Craig, William G. Tapply, Third Strike: A Brady Coyne/J. W. Jackson Mystery, page 27:
The striking batter is bowled out when the wicket is broken with the bowler's delivery. A batter is bowled out whether or not the ball is touched or deflected into the stumps by the batter.2010, Mark Butcher, Paul Abraham, Learn to Play Cricket: Teach Yourself, page A-65:
From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
1
Informal, Proscribed, Sometimes From the inside to the outside of; out of.
throw it out the window; get it out your mind
We are gonna get evicted. —If your fat butt fits out the door, that is.
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Can you, when you have pushed out your gates the very defender of them, and in a violent popular ignorance given your enemy your shield, think to front his revenges with the easy groans of old women, the virginal palms of your daughters, or with the palsied intercession of such a decayed dotant as you seem to be?c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
Thy roselips and full blue eyes / Take the heart from out my breast.1830, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Adeline:
After she'd made her single cup of coffee she sat looking out the window into the slushy, halficy backyard and dialed Tony's number on Staten Island.2012, Thomas Gifford, Woman in the Window:
From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
They wrote the law to give those organizations an out.
You might phrase it like this, for example: “I’ve noticed you’ve been making some healthier choices. I’ve been thinking about starting a GLP-1, and I’m wondering if you’ve thought about it.” That gives the other person an out—they can easily brush off or shut down the conversation if they’d rather not get into it.2026 January 29, Angela Haupt, “Can I Ask Someone if They’re on Ozempic?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2026:
2
Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A state in which a member of the batting team is removed from play due to the application of various rules of the game such as striking out, hitting a fly ball which is caught by the fielding team before bouncing, etc.
The first time I saw Amity we were in front of her house playing work-up, a baseball variation where you move from position to position by outs until you get to bat.2014, Tom Bentley, Flowering: And Other Stories:
3
Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A dismissal; a state in which a member of the batting team finishes his turn at bat, due to the application of various rules of the game, such as the bowler knocking over the batsman's wicket with the ball.
As a beginner, when you are in a hand, you should practice counting your outs, or those live cards left in the deck that can improve your hand.2005, Alison M. Pendergast, Play Winning Poker in No Time, page 57:
If he did have a bigger ace, I still had at least six outs — the case ace, two nines, and three tens. I could also have more outs if he held anything less than A-K.2006, David Apostolico, Lessons from the Professional Poker Tour, page 21:
Us London lawyers don't often get an out; and when we do, we like to make the most of it, you know.1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
6
In plural One who, or that which, is out; especially, one who is out of office.
This memoir has nothing to do with the question between the ins and the outs; it is intended neither to support nor to assail the administration; it is general in its views upon a general and national subject; […]1827, Benjamin Chew, A Sketch of the Politics, Relations, and Statistics, of the Western World, page 192:
7
A place or space outside of something; a nook or corner; an angle projecting outward; an open space.
It's an interesting film. I've always felt that he made it out of our outs [outtakes]: which was like he was trying to prove something.2015, Keith Beattie, Trent Griffiths, D. A. Pennebaker: Interviews:
[…] one gentleman called to the waiter, 'Bring me a quartern of gin and two outs (glasses), for me and this chap to drink Mullens' health.'1873, Godfrey Holden Pike, Byeways of two cities, page 226:
out
verb
Etymology
From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
1
To eject; to expel.
a king outed of his country1689, John Selden, Table Talk:
The French have been outed from their holds.1674, Peter Heylin, Cosmographie in four bookes:
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"I outed myself for life that night. I can put up a show fight and exhibition bout, but I'm done for the real thing."1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
2
To come or go out; to get out or away; to become public, revealed, or apparent.
Truth will out.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
In which Argument he whose courage can serve him to give the first onset, must look for two severall oppositions: the one from those who having sworn themselves to long custom and the letter of the Text, will not out of the road: the other from those whose grosse and vulgar apprehensions conceit but low of matrimoniall purposes, and in the work of male and female think they have all.1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:
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In those opening minutes City looked like a team that were not ready for Celtic's intensity. They looked a bit shocked to be involved in a fight. Class will out, though.2016 September 28, Tom English, “Celtic 3–3 Manchester City”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), BBC Sport:
3
To reveal (a person or organization) as having a certain secret, such as a being a secret agent or undercover detective.
"Did Dora just offer up that advice, or were you pumping her for information?" "Shoot, I outed my informant. I'm a terrible spy."2017, Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content (webcomic), Number 3509: Sensitive Information:
4
To reveal (a secret).
A Brazilian company outed the new mobile phone design.
[Tom] Holland himself admitted to GQ last year that the two hadn't really wanted to go public with their dating status. A video of them making out in a car outed their relationship.2022 December 16, Alyssa Bailey, “Zendaya Took Tom Holland to Visit Her Old School in Oakland”, in Elle:
5
To reveal (a person) as LGBTQ+ (gay, trans, etc.).
She throws her head back and lets out a warm laugh before she continues, “After that I thought, What am I so worried about? So I began to tell more people, and the more I outed myself, the easier it got.”2014 July 18, Jase Peeples, “Susan Blu: Transformation of an Animation Icon”, in The Advocate:
Trans Media Watch had recently spoken at the Leveson Inquiry about how the Sun and the Daily Mail routinely outed trans people, publishing old names and photos, for no reason other than because they could.2015, Juliet Jacques, Trans: A Memoir, Verso Books, →ISBN:
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Always in my life I knew I was different. I also accepted that in a way, but I thought I could just live out those desires in private, for myself. I also have gone out en femme for a couple of years. […] I outed myself to my sister, which was super positive and is^([sic]) now my biggest supporter (love u sis!).2015 December 30, Kathy, “Kathy's Favorite Photo (of Kathy!)”, in Femulate:
The Parkses were strict and narrowminded, and not knowing what to do with their recently outed bisexual teenage daughter, their obvious solution was to cut her off from her friends and keep her from leaving the house.2016, Molly Booth, Saving Hamlet, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, →ISBN:
As of 2018, I chair the workforce committee and lead on diversity and inclusion, including heading up a policy review on gender identity and trans inclusion, although that led me to be publicly outed as non-binary in the Sunday Times.2020, Jos Twist, Meg-John Barker, Kat Gupta, Benjamin Vincent, Non-Binary Lives: An Anthology of Intersecting Identities, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 116:
Like [Paul] Graham, [Peter] Thiel would attract his own fair share of controversies, including being a rare vocal Trump backer among his tech peers during the 2016 election and secretly funding a lawsuit that would lead to the demise of Gawker Media, in retaliation for the site outing him as gay nearly a decade earlier.2025, Karen Hao, Empire of AI, New York City: Penguin Press, →ISBN:
6
To kill; to snuff out.
"In my own case, I was beaten about the head by their wings, so we have had a remarkable exhibition of their various methods of offence." "It has been touch and go for our lives," said Lord John, gravely, "and I could not think of a more rotten sort of death than to be outed by such filthy vermin."1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
out
adj
Etymology
From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
Not inside or within a place, especially a place that someone or something was formerly inside or is customarily inside
I worked away cleaning the U-bend until all the gunge was out.
This building is unsafe. Keep out!
› Not inside or within a place, especially a…
2
Not at home, or not at one's office or place of employment.
I'm sorry, Mr Smith is out at the moment.
3
Not in jail, prison, or captivity; freed from confinement.
Sentenced to five years, he could be out in three with good behavior.
4
Not fitted or inserted into something.
The TV won't work with the plug out!
5
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Falling or passing or being situated beyond the bounds of the playing area.
Of the ball or other playing implement
I thought the ball hit the line, but the umpire said it was out.
› Not (or no longer) acceptable or in…
6
In various games Dismissed from play under the rules of the game.
Used especially of a batsman or batter in cricket or baseball
He bowls, Johnson pokes at it ... and ... Johnson is out! Caught behind by Ponsonby!
7
Usually, Of ideas Discarded; no longer a possibility.
Right, so that idea's out. Let's move on to the next one.
8
Of options No longer acceptable or permissible.
I've got diabetes, so cookies are right out.
9
Of certain services Not available; out of service.
Devices; or facilities; devices; or facilities
Power is out in the entire city.
My wi-fi is out.
10
Not having availability of a service, such as power or communications.
Of a user of a service
Most of the city got service back yesterday, but my neighborhood is still out.
11
Of lamps Not shining or burning.
I called round to the house but all the lights were out and no one was home.
12
Usually, Of an organization Temporarily not in operation, or not being attended as usual.
School is out tomorrow due to snow. When college is out for the summer, I'll head back to my home state.
when school gets out today After school's out, I go to the library until my mom gets off work.
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No one is out screaming about Congress being out on a month long vacation.1990 August 20, PBS NewsHour (TV), DeFrank (actor):
[…] I had to be there after high school, I mean, after school was out, and after college was out, I had to go straight home.2012 October 23, Kids As Caregivers Face Special Challenges (radio), via National Public Radio:
It's a good thing that Congress is out for the month of August […]2013 August 4, Powerhouse Roundtable (TV), Jeff Zeleny (actor), via ABC:
13
Unconscious, either because asleep or because otherwise knocked out.
Near-synonyms: out cold (deep degree, difficult or impossible to rouse), down for the count
out like a light
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I had a whack on the head and was out for a few seconds.
14
No longer popular or in fashion.
Black is out this season. The new black is white.
› Open or public (about something).
15
Openly acknowledging that one is LGBT+ (gay, trans, etc).
It's no big deal to be out in the entertainment business.
I had not come out yet and he was out but wasn't; quite ungay, I would say, and yet gay.2011, Allan Bérubé, My Desire for History: Essays in Gay, Community, and Labor History:
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However, for a transgender man, while living stealth can be a feasible option for some, key people will need to know […] Not everyone has to be out, loud and proud or march down the streets holding trans flags […]2018, Matthew Waites, Supporting Young Transgender Men: A Guide for Professionals, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 40:
16
Broadly, Uncommon Open, public; public about or openly acknowledging some (usually specified) identity.
She was “out” as a survivor for the first time in her life. “I had friends who had known me many, many years who are totally astounded, shocked,” she said. “They could not believe that I was a Holocaust survivor. […]”2014, Arlene Stein, Reluctant Witnesses: Survivors, Their Children, and the Rise of Holocaust Consciousness, Oxford University Press, →ISBN:
17
Freed from secrecy.
My secret is out.
› Available to be seen, or to be interacted…
18
Released, available for purchase, download or other use.
Did you hear? Their newest CD is out!
The game was commercially released on Xbox and PC in 2005 as an installment of the Close Combat series, which had been out since 1996.2009, Roger Stahl, Militainment, Inc.: War, Media, and Popular Culture, page 96:
19
Of flowers In bloom.
The garden looks beautiful now that the roses are out.
20
Of the sun Visible in the sky; not obscured by clouds.
The sun is out, and it's a lovely day.
21
Obsolete Of a young lady: having entered society and available to be courted.
"Pray, is she out, or is she not?—I am puzzled.—She dined at the Parsonage, with the rest of you, which seemed like being out; and yet she says so little, that I can hardly suppose she is."1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter V, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 98:
22
Of the tide At or near its lowest level.
You can walk to the island when the tide's out.
23
Without; no longer in possession of; not having any more.
Do you have any bread? Sorry, we're out.
24
Australia, Of calculations or measurements Containing errors or discrepancies, or in error by a stated amount.
Nothing adds up in this report. All these figures are out.
From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *ūt, from Proto-Germanic *ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic *ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European *úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German and Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).
1
Government, Military, Politics, WarEspecially A radio procedure word meaning that the station is finished with its transmission and does not expect a response.
Destruction. Two T-72s destroyed. Three foot mobiles down. Out.
[Galactic Federation official]: 'Does Samus suspect anything?' / Ship AI: 'No, I do not think so.' / [Galactic Federation official]: 'Good. Monitor her closely.' / Ship AI: 'Affirmative. Out.'2002 November 18, Nintendo R&D1, Metroid Fusion, Nintendo, Game Boy Advance, scene: dispatch:
Procedure word; following one's own name; following one's own name
Welp, I got nothing else to say. Mikey out.
3
Get out; begone; away!
Out, damned spot! Out, I say!c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):