get out of hand

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B1

Post

Figurative meaning

To become impossible to control.

Why this phrase?

Something 'in hand' is under control; once it gets out of hand, it has escaped that control.

Example

“The party got out of hand after midnight.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

can of worms Informal · CEFR B1

a complicated problem that causes trouble the moment it is touched

every which way Informal · CEFR B1

in every direction, often in a scattered or disorderly way

fall in line Neutral · CEFR B1

to obey or accept the rules and expectations set by a group or authority

in the hands of Neutral · CEFR B1

under the control or responsibility of someone

under lock and key Neutral · CEFR B1

kept securely locked away so that access or escape is prevented

a hot potato Informal · CEFR B2

A controversial or awkward issue that no one wants to deal with.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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