Fixed expressions
Idioms
English fixed expressions — phrases whose meaning isn't obvious from the individual words. Each entry shows the meaning, an example sentence, and its register.
Idioms containing out, including its inflections. Clear word filter
a fish out of water
CEFR B1Someone who feels uncomfortable because they are in an unfamiliar situation.
get out of hand
CEFR B1To become impossible to control.
let the cat out of the bag
CEFR B1To reveal a secret, usually by mistake.
out and about
CEFR B1away from home and actively going to places or doing ordinary activities
out of the question
CEFR B1completely impossible or not permitted
put out fires
CEFR B1to deal with urgent problems instead of doing planned work
down and out
CEFR B2in severe hardship, especially without money, resources, or prospects
go in one ear and out the other
CEFR B2to be heard but immediately forgotten or ignored
iron out the kinks
CEFR B2to fix the last small problems in a plan, process, or product
out of line
CEFR B2behaving or speaking beyond acceptable limits
out of one's hands
CEFR B2no longer one's responsibility or under one's control
out of order
CEFR B2not working properly
out of the blue
CEFR B2suddenly and unexpectedly
out of the running
CEFR B2no longer being considered for a prize, position, or competition
out of the woods
CEFR B2past the worst of a danger or difficulty
out of thin air
CEFR B2to seem to materialize suddenly without any apparent origin
out on a limb
CEFR B2in a vulnerable position after taking an unusual or unsupported risk
run out of steam
CEFR B2to lose the energy, enthusiasm, or momentum needed to continue
shape up or ship out
CEFR B2improve your behavior or performance or else leave
stick your neck out
CEFR B2To take a risk by saying or doing something that others might criticize.
take a leaf out of someone's book
CEFR B2to follow someone's good example by copying what they do
take the wind out of someone's sails
CEFR B2to suddenly weaken a person's confidence, excitement, or determination
beat/get the hell out of something
CEFR C1to leave a place very quickly (get); or to defeat or hit something severely (beat)
it will all come out in the wash
CEFR C1the problems or confusion will eventually be resolved
let it all hang out
CEFR C1behave freely without hiding your feelings or worrying about restraint
out of kilter
CEFR C1misaligned, unsettled, or operating abnormally
out of the frying pan into the fire
CEFR C1To escape one bad situation only to land in a worse one.
pull out all the stops
CEFR C1to make the maximum possible effort, holding nothing back