out of joint
Idioms-
Dislocated, as in Trying to break his fall, he put his shoulder out of joint . [Late 1300s]
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See nose out of joint .
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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]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You did that, and now your nose is understandably out of joint because you don’t know what happened to your 20% tip and you are afraid the restaurant stole it.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
ANSWER: We do vital research that shows the potential harms of online platforms, and we know that that puts the noses out of joint for some very powerful people.
From Barron's • Jan. 2, 2026
"My nose was a bit out of joint for a few hours," Towler told BBC News.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2025
In short: The whole framework of this trip has slipped wildly out of joint since it was planned two months ago.
From Slate • Jul. 23, 2024
Or that the ack-ack-ack of the German machine gun is really just a woodpecker getting his nose out of joint.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
