out-of-sight

American  

[out-uhv-sahyt] / ˈaʊt əvˈsaɪt /

adjective

1. Slang. fantastic; great; marvelous.

   an out-of-sight guitarist.

2. beyond reason; exceedingly high.

   out-of-sight hospital bills.

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out of sight Idioms  

1. Also, out of someone's sight . Out of the range of vision, as in Stay out of sight while they're visiting , or Don't let the baby out of your sight in the yard . [c. 1200] This idiom is also used in the phrase get out of someone's sight , meaning “go away”; for example, Jean was furious with Bill and told him to get out of her sight at once .

2. Unreasonable, excessive, as in Our bill for the wine was out of sight . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]

3. Excellent, superb, as in The graduation party was out of sight . This phrase is also used as an interjection meaning “Wonderful!” as in Do I like it? Out of sight! [ Slang ; second half of 1900s]

4. out of sight , out of mind . What is absent is soon forgotten, as in I don't think of them unless they send a Christmas card—out of sight, out of mind, I guess . This phrase has been proverbial since Homer's time; the earliest recorded use in English was about 1450.

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Etymology

Origin of out-of-sight

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

He said California is on the cusp of more dedicated efforts to replenish water reserves that have long been largely out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2024

I soon learned from another staff member that when a person’s travel location is input into the system, it’s enclosed by an out-of-sight geofence.

From Slate • Dec. 13, 2023

Throughout, he maintains his remarkable stillness, save his out-of-sight hands Geppetto-ing the dummy’s mouth.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2022

Like challenges adjudicated in a far-off room by out-of-sight officials.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2022

And who could possibly be paying those out-of-sight prices?

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times