Wordnet 3.0
ADVERB (6)
1.
extraordinary;
unusual;
- Example: "such erratic behavior was out of the way for him"2.
improper;
amiss;;
3.
in a remote location or at a distance from the usual route;
- Example: "the restaurant is top-notch, but a little out of the way"4.
murdered;
- Example: "the mob boss wanted his rival out of the way"5.
dealt with;
disposed of;
- Example: "I'm so relieved that my midterm is out of the way"6.
so as not to obstruct or hinder;
- Example: "put that box out of the way so that no one trips on it"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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:
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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.
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He hath been out (of the country) nine years.
--Shak.
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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.
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Leaves are out and perfect in a month. --Bacon.
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She has not been out [in general society] very long.
--H. James.
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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.
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Deceitful men shall not live out half their days.
--Ps. iv. 23.
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When the butt is out, we will drink water. --Shak.
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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.
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I have forgot my part, and I am out. --Shak.
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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.
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Wicked men are strangely out in the calculating of
their own interest. --South.
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Very seldom out, in these his guesses. --Addison.
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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.
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7. Out of fashion; unfashionable; no longer in current vogue;
unpopular.
[PJC]
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.
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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.
(a) On one side; hard to reach or find; secluded.
(b) 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).
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Way \Way\, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., &
G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[aum]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L.
via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah.
[root]136. Cf. Convex, Inveigh, Vehicle, Vex, Via,
Voyage, Wag, Wagon, Wee, Weigh.]
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1. That by, upon, or along, which one passes or processes;
opportunity or room to pass; place of passing; passage;
road, street, track, or path of any kind; as, they built a
way to the mine. "To find the way to heaven." --Shak.
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I shall him seek by way and eke by street.
--Chaucer.
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The way seems difficult, and steep to scale.
--Milton.
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The season and ways were very improper for his
majesty's forces to march so great a distance.
--Evelyn.
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2. Length of space; distance; interval; as, a great way; a
long way.
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And whenever the way seemed long,
Or his heart began to fail. --Longfellow.
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3. A moving; passage; procession; journey.
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I prythee, now, lead the way. --Shak.
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4. Course or direction of motion or process; tendency of
action; advance.
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If that way be your walk, you have not far.
--Milton.
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And let eternal justice take the way. --Dryden.
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5. The means by which anything is reached, or anything is
accomplished; scheme; device; plan.
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My best way is to creep under his gaberdine. --Shak.
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By noble ways we conquest will prepare. --Dryden.
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What impious ways my wishes took! --Prior.
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6. Manner; method; mode; fashion; style; as, the way of
expressing one's ideas.
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7. Regular course; habitual method of life or action; plan of
conduct; mode of dealing. "Having lost the way of
nobleness." --Sir. P. Sidney.
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Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace. --Prov. iii.
17.
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When men lived in a grander way. --Longfellow.
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8. Sphere or scope of observation. --Jer. Taylor.
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The public ministers that fell in my way. --Sir W.
Temple.
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9. Determined course; resolved mode of action or conduct; as,
to have one's way.
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10. (Naut.)
(a) Progress; as, a ship has way.
(b) pl. The timbers on which a ship is launched.
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11. pl. (Mach.) The longitudinal guides, or guiding surfaces,
on the bed of a planer, lathe, or the like, along which a
table or carriage moves.
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12. (Law) Right of way. See below.
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By the way, in passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though
connected with, the main object or subject of discourse.
By way of, for the purpose of; as being; in character of.
Covert way. (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered.
In the family way. See under Family.
In the way, so as to meet, fall in with, obstruct, hinder,
etc.
In the way with, traveling or going with; meeting or being
with; in the presence of.
Milky way. (Astron.) See Galaxy, 1.
No way, No ways. See Noway, Noways, in the
Vocabulary.
On the way, traveling or going; hence, in process;
advancing toward completion; as, on the way to this
country; on the way to success.
Out of the way. See under Out.
Right of way (Law), a right of private passage over
another's ground. It may arise either by grant or
prescription. It may be attached to a house, entry, gate,
well, or city lot, as well as to a country farm. --Kent.
To be under way, or To have way (Naut.), to be in motion,
as when a ship begins to move.
To give way. See under Give.
To go one's way, or To come one's way, to go or come; to
depart or come along. --Shak.
To go one's way to proceed in a manner favorable to one; --
of events.
To come one's way to come into one's possession (of
objects) or to become available, as an opportunity; as,
good things will come your way.
To go the way of all the earth or
to go the way of all flesh to die.
To make one's way, to advance in life by one's personal
efforts.
To make way. See under Make, v. t.
Ways and means.
(a) Methods; resources; facilities.
(b) (Legislation) Means for raising money; resources for
revenue.
Way leave, permission to cross, or a right of way across,
land; also, rent paid for such right. [Eng]
Way of the cross (Eccl.), the course taken in visiting in
rotation the stations of the cross. See Station, n., 7
(c) .
Way of the rounds (Fort.), a space left for the passage of
the rounds between a rampart and the wall of a fortified
town.
Way pane, a pane for cartage in irrigated land. See Pane,
n., 4. [Prov. Eng.]
Way passenger, a passenger taken up, or set down, at some
intermediate place between the principal stations on a
line of travel.
Ways of God, his providential government, or his works.
Way station, an intermediate station between principal
stations on a line of travel, especially on a railroad.
Way train, a train which stops at the intermediate, or way,
stations; an accommodation train.
Way warden, the surveyor of a road.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Street; highway; road.
Usage: Way, Street, Highway, Road. Way is generic,
denoting any line for passage or conveyance; a highway
is literally one raised for the sake of dryness and
convenience in traveling; a road is, strictly, a way
for horses and carriages; a street is, etymologically,
a paved way, as early made in towns and cities; and,
hence, the word is distinctively applied to roads or
highways in compact settlements.
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All keep the broad highway, and take delight
With many rather for to go astray. --Spenser.
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There is but one road by which to climb up.
--Addison.
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When night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
--Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
out of the way
adv 1: extraordinary; unusual; "such erratic behavior was out of
the way for him"
2: improper; amiss;
3: in a remote location or at a distance from the usual route;
"the restaurant is top-notch, but a little out of the way"
4: murdered; "the mob boss wanted his rival out of the way"
5: dealt with; disposed of; "I'm so relieved that my midterm is
out of the way"
6: so as not to obstruct or hinder; "put that box out of the way
so that no one trips on it"