The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms

by Christine Ammer

  open to all comers Also, open to all. Available to anyone who chooses to take part. The noun comers, for those who arrive, is rarely heard outside this idiom. A 1697 essay had “The Temple of Honour stands open to all comers,” and the term remains current. For example, All his talks on the environment are open to all comers.

  open up 1. Spread out, unfold, as in A green valley opened up before us. [Early 1800s] 2. Begin operation, as in The new store opens up next month. [Late 1700s] 3. Begin firing, begin attacking, as in The artillery opened up at dawn, or, figuratively, The speaker opened up fiercely on the opposition. [1930s] Also see OPEN FIRE. 4. Speak freely and candidly, as in At last the witness opened up and told what happened. [Colloquial; c. 1920] 5. Make an opening by cutting, as in the surgeon opened up the patient’s chest. 6. Become available or accessible, as in With new markets opening up all the time we hope to see our revenues increase dramatically. [Mid-1800s] 7. Increase the speed of a vehicle, as in Let’s see how fast the car will go if you open it up. [Colloquial; c. 1920] 8. Open the door, let me (or us) in, as in Open up! This is the police. [Mid-1900s] Note that in all of these usages except def. 4 and 7, up serves as an intensifier, that is, it emphasizes the verb open.

  open with Begin with, as in The concert season opens with the Symphony performing Mahler’s Ninth. This idiom uses open in the sense of “begin,” a usage dating from the late 1600s.

  opinion → See FORM AN OPINION; MATTER OF OPINION.

  opposite number, one’s One’s counterpart, as in He’s my opposite number in the California office. This expression is generally used for a person’s equivalent in another organization or system (number alluding to their position in a hierarchy). [c. 1900]

  opt out Choose not to participate, as in Our school opted out of the state competition. [Slang; mid-1900s]

  oranges → See APPLES AND ORANGES.

  orbit → See IN ORBIT.

  order → In addition to the idioms beginning with ORDER, also see APPLE-PIE ORDER; BACK ORDER; CALL TO ORDER; IN ORDER; IN SHORT ORDER; JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED; LAW AND ORDER; MADE TO ORDER; MARCHING ORDERS; ON ORDER; ON THE ORDER OF; OUT OF ORDER; PECKING ORDER; PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER; SHORT ORDER; STANDING ORDER; TALL ORDER; TO ORDER.

  order of the day, the The prevailing or expected mode, the current agenda, as in Volatility is the ­order of the day in high-tech stocks, or T-shirts and blue jeans were the order of the day for the picnic. This expression, dating from the late 1600s, originally alluded to the subject of debate in a legislature on a particular day, as well as to specific commands given to troops. Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s.

  order someone about Give peremptory commands to someone, be domineering, as in That teacher had better learn not to order us about. [Mid-1800s]

  ordinary → See OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

  or else 1. Otherwise, in different circumstances, as in Present your case now, or else you won’t have a chance. [c. 1300] 2. Regardless of any extenuating circumstances, no matter what, as in Be there on time or else! [Second half of 1800s]

  or other One besides the one mentioned. This phrase is used to emphasize indefinite words beginning with some, such as someone, somehow, sometime, somewhere. For example, Someone or other will be taking tickets at the door, or I can’t ­remember where I put the lawn rake, but it’s somewhere or other in the garage, or Somehow or other be found one that matched. [c. 1600]

  or so Approximately, especially alluding to a number, as in Four hundred or so guests are invited. [Late 1500s]

  or what? What is the right answer? Since the mid-1700s this phrase has been used at the end of a series of possible alternatives, as in Do you want iced tea, iced coffee, beer, or what? In the late 1900s the phrase began to be used at the end of a question to be answered “yes” or “no, ” as in Is this a great meal, or what? It may also ask for an alternative, as in Is this book a biography or what?

  or whatever Whatnot, or any other thing that might be mentioned, as in They’ve stocked wine, beer, soda, or whatever, or You can stay or leave, or whatever. [Early 1900s]

  other → In addition to the idioms beginning with OTHER, also see AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS; DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU; EACH OTHER; EVERY OTHER; IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER; IN ONE’S POCKET (EACH OTHER’S POCKETS); IN OTHER WORDS; LAUGH OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH; LOOK THE OTHER WAY; MADE FOR EACH OTHER; NONE OTHER THAN; ON THE ONE (THE OTHER) HAND; OR OTHER; SHOE IS ON THE OTHER FOOT; SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER; THIS AND THAT (AND THE OTHER); TURN THE OTHER CHEEK; WAIT FOR THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP.

  other day, the One day recently, a short time ago, as in I saw her in the museum the other day. This term originally meant either “the next day” or “the preceding day” (tomorrow or yesterday). In its current meaning it was first recorded in 1421.

  other fish to fry Also, better or bigger fish to fry. More important matters to attend to, as in They asked me to help with the decorations, but I have other fish to fry. [Mid-1500s]

  other good fish in the sea → See NOT THE ONLY FISH IN THE SEA.

  other side of the coin The opposite aspect, as in I know you’d like to go but the other side of the coin is that someone has to stay with the baby, or The subscription is expensive, but the other side of the coin is that it’s an excellent publication. This term replaced the older other side of the medal or other side of the shield about 1900.

  other side of the tracks → See RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

  other than 1. Different from, besides, as in They were shocked to find she has a lover other than her husband. [1250] 2. In a different manner than; otherwise than, as in How could she be other than happy with the new house? [Late 1800s] 3. other than that. Except that, as in Other than that the nearest store was five miles away, it was a perfect location.

  other things being equal Also, all else being equal. Given the same circumstances, as in Other things being equal, I prefer the green sofa. This term is a translation of the Latin phrase ceteris paribus, which was widely used until the 18th century, when in began to be replaced by the English equivalent.

  other way round, the In the reverse direction, as in I don’t think the sofa will go through the door this way; let’s try it the other way round.

  ounce → In addition to the idiom beginning with OUNCE, also see MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK (BOUNCE TO THE OUNCE).

  ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, an It is easier to forestall a disaster than to deal with it. For example, The new law makes all children under twelve wear bicycle helmets—an ounce of prevention. This ancient proverb is first recorded in Latin in Henry de Bracton’s De Legibus (c. 1240) and has been repeated ever since, often in shortened form.

  out and about Well enough to come and go, especially after an illness. For example, I’m glad to see you’re out and about again. [Late 1800s] Also see UP AND ABOUT.

  out and away By far, surpassing all others, as in He’s out and away the best pitcher in the league. [First half of 1800s]

  out at the elbows Also, out at the heels or knees. Wearing clothes that are worn out or torn; poor. For example, When we last saw Phil be was out at the elbows. These expressions, dating from the late 1500s and early 1600s, can refer to clothes worn through at these points as well as to a person too poor to replace them.

  out back → See under OUT FRONT.

  out cold Also, out for the count; out like a light. Unconscious; also, asleep. For example, He crashed into the wall and was out cold, or Willie punched him too hard, and he was out for the count or Don’t call Jane; she’s out like a light by ten every night. The adjective cold refers to the lack of heat in a dead body and has been used to mean “unconscious” since the second half of the 1800s. The first variant comes from boxing, where a fighter who is knocked down must get up before the referee counts to ten or be declared defeated; it dates from about 1930. The last variant alludes to turning out a light and dates from the first half of the 1900s.

  out
doors → See BIG AS LIFE (ALL OUTDOORS).

  out for, be 1. Be intent on, want, as in The management is mostly out for bigger growth in sales. [c. 1900] 2. out for blood. Intent on revenge, ready to fight with someone, as in When Tom heard they’d outbid him, he was out for blood. This hyperbolic term uses blood in the sense of “bloodshed” or “violent confrontation.” Also see GO OUT FOR.

  out for the count → See under OUT COLD.

  out from under Free from difficulties, especially from a burden of debts or work. For example, They’ve been using credit cards for everything and don’t know how they’ll get out from under, or We have loads of mail to answer, but we’ll soon get out from under. This idiom uses under in the sense of “in a position of subjection.” [Mid-1800s]

  out front In front of a building or house, as in We really need to put another light out front, or I’ll meet you at the museum, out front. The antonym, referring to the back of a building, is out back, as in John’s out back fixing his bike. The noun front has been used for the side of a building where the main entrance is located since the mid-1300s; back for the rear of a building dates from the late 1300s.

  out in left field Also, out of left field. Eccentric, odd; also, mistaken. For example, The composer’s use of dissonance in this symphony is way out in left field, or His answer was out of left field; he was ­totally wrong. This idiom refers to baseball’s left field but the precise allusion is disputed. Among the theories proposed is that in some ballparks the left field wall is farther from the batter than the wall in right field. Another is that in early ballparks, left field was often larger than right field and therefore was home to more lost balls and general confusion. [Mid-1900s] Also see FAR OUT.

  out in the cold Excluded from benefits given to others, neglected, as in Her stand on abortion left her out in the cold with the party. This idiom alludes to being left outdoors without shelter. [Mid-1800s] Also see COME IN FROM THE COLD.

  out in the open Also, out into the open. In or into public view or knowledge, as in I wish he wouldn’t talk behind our backs but bring his complaints out in the open, or It’s important to bring the merger plans out into the open. This term uses open to mean “an unconcealed state.” [c. 1940]

  out like a light → See under OUT COLD.

  out loud Audibly, aloud, as in I sometimes find myself reading the paper out loud, or That movie was hilarious; the whole audience was laughing out loud. First recorded in 1821, this synonym for aloud was once criticized as too colloquial for formal writing, but this view is no longer widespread. Moreover, aloud is rarely used with verbs like laugh and cry. Also see FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

  out of, be Be lacking, as in We’re out of sugar and coffee. Shakespeare used this idiom in Henry V (3:7): “These English are... out of beef.” [Late 1500s] Also see RUN OUT OF.

  out of a clear blue sky Also, out of the blue. Without warning, suddenly, as in Her offer to help us with the fundraising came out of a clear blue sky, or We got a check from Aunt Ruby out of the blue. These metaphoric terms allude to something dropping unexpectedly from the sky. [Late 1800s] Also see OUT OF NOWHERE.

  out of bounds Beyond established limits, breaking the rules, unreasonable. For example, Calling the teacher a liar—that’s out of bounds. This expression alludes to the boundaries of the playing area in numerous sports and to the rules applying to them. Its figurative use dates from the 1940s. [Early 1800s] Also see WITHIN BOUNDS.

  out of breath Breathing with difficulty, panting, gasping. For example, After five flights of stairs I’m out of breath. This slightly hyperbolic term (since literally running out of breath means one is dead) dates from the late 1500s. Also see CATCH ONE’S BREATH.

  out of business 1. No longer carrying on commercial transactions, as in He’s decided to go out of business when he turns sixty-five, or The supermarkets are putting the small grocers out of business. 2. Not in working order, inoperative, as in It looks as though the merry-go-round is out of business tonight. Also see OUT OF COMMISSION; GO OUT, def. 5.

  out of character → See IN CHARACTER.

  out of circulation → See under IN CIRCULATION.

  out of commission Not in working order, unable to function. For example, The drawbridge is out of commission so we’ll have to take the tunnel. This idiom originally referred to a ship that was laid up for repairs or held in reserve. Similarly, the antonym, in commission, referred to a ship armed and ready for action. The latter term is also used in more general contexts today, as in My car’s back in commission now, so we can drive to the theater. [Late 1800s]

  out of condition Also, out of shape. → See under IN CONDITION.

  out of control Also, out of hand. No longer under management, direction, or regulation; unmanageable or unruly. For example, Housing costs are out of control, or The children were getting out of hand again. The first term uses control in the sense of “restraint,” a usage dating from the late 1500s; the variant uses hand in the sense of “power” or “authority,” and dates from the late 1800s.

  out of date 1. Too old to be used, past the point of expiration, as in This milk is out of date. [Early 1600s] 2. Old-fashioned, no longer in style, as in Dean has three suits but they’re all out of date. [Early 1800s]

  out of fashion Also, out of style. → See GO OUT, def. 5.

  out of favor → See under IN FAVOR WITH.

  out of gas → See under RUN OUT OF.

  out of hand 1. See OUT OF CONTROL. 2. At once, immediately, as in The second surgeon rejected the doctor’s treatment plan out of hand. [1300s]

  out of harm’s way In a safe condition or place, as in We fenced the yard to keep the children out of harm’s way. This idiom was first recorded about 1661.

  out of here Leaving immediately. For example, The minute the clock strikes ten I’m out of here, or If you don’t increase your sales by December you’re out of here. [Colloquial, late 1900s]

  out of humor → See OUT OF SORTS.

  out of it 1. Not participating in or knowledgable about a particular trend, pursuit, or group. For example, Dad looked really out of it, riding his bike in bathing trunks and long black socks, or Mary sometimes felt out of it because she didn’t know anyone in the most popular crowd. [Early 1800s] 2. Confused or disoriented. For example, Two or three beers and she was out of it, or He had no idea where he was or had been; he was totally out of it. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

  out of joint 1. Dislocated, as in Trying to break his fall, he put his shoulder out of joint. [Late 1300s] 2. See NOSE OUT OF JOINT. 3. Out of order, inauspicious or unsatisfactory, as in The entire lineup of our team is out of joint. Shakespeare had this term in Hamlet (1:5): “The time is out of joint.” [Early 1400s]

  out of keeping → See IN KEEPING.

  out of key → See under IN KEY.

  out of kilter Also, out of whack. Not properly adjusted, not working well, out of order. For example, This whole schedule is out of kilter with the rest of our projects, or The wheels on the trailer are out of whack. The first term, also spelled kelter, dates from the early 1600s and its origin is not known. The precise allusion of the variant, a colloquial term dating from the late 1800s, is also unclear. Possibly it relates to a whack, or blow, throwing something off, or, some suggest, to wacky, that is, “crazy.”

  out of line 1. Uncalled for, improper; inappropriate. For example, His remarks were totally out of line. It is often put as get out of line or step out of line, meaning “behave improperly,” as in She really stepped out of line when she called him incompetent in front of his boss. [Late 1700s] 2. Not in agreement with general practice, as in Their prices are way out of line with other hotels. Both def. 1 and 2 are metaphoric expressions that transfer being out of alignment to various kinds of behavior. 3. out of one’s line; not in one’s line. Not in one’s occupation or field of interest. For example, He offered a generous salary, but the work was out of her line, or I’d love to help, but telephone solicitation is not in my line. This usage alludes to line in the sense of “a busine
ss or occupation.” [Mid-1800s]

  out of luck Having bad fortune, experiencing a misfortune, as in You’re out of luck if you want a copy; we just sold the last one. This expression, first recorded in 1867, assumes that good fortune is a finite quantity that one can run out of. However, it generally applies to more temporary circumstances than being DOWN ON ONE’S LUCK.

  out of nowhere Suddenly, unexpectedly, as in That anonymous letter turned up out of nowhere. It is often put as come out of nowhere, as in Their team came out of nowhere and won the state championship. This term uses out of in the sense of “from,” and nowhere in the sense of “an unknown place.” For a synonym, see OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY.

  out of one’s → In addition to the following idioms beginning with OUT OF ONE’S, also see under IN ONE’S.

  out of one’s depth Also, beyond one’s depth. Outside one’s understanding or competence, as in He was out of his depth in that advanced calculus class, or The conductor realized that playing the fugue at the right tempo was beyond their depth. This expression alludes to being in water so deep that one might sink. [c. 1600] Also see OVER ONE’S HEAD.

  out of one’s element → See under IN ONE’S ELEMENT.

  out of one’s hair → See under IN SOMEONE’S HAIR.

  out of one’s hands → See under OFF SOMEONE’S HANDS.

  out of one’s mind → See GO OUT, def. 5; also, IN ONE’S RIGHT MIND.

  out of one’s shell → See under IN ONE’S SHELL.

  out of one’s system Out of one’s thoughts or inclinations. It is often put as get something out of one’s system, as in You need to get your ex-husband out of your system or At the annual all-chocolate buffet I try everything, which gets it out of my system for at least a month, or Let him complain as much as he wants so he’ll get it out of his system. This idiom uses system in the sense of “all one’s physical and mental functions.” [c. 1900]