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.
QUIZZES
THE OCTOBER WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS HERE TO HAUNT YOU
Search your capacious memory for the meaning of October’s words!
Question 1 of 9
Which Word of the Day from this month means, “an irrational dislike; loathing”?
Words nearby out of one's depth
out of kilter, out of line, out of luck, out of nowhere, out of one's, out of one's depth, out of one's element, out of one's hair, out of one's mind, out of one's shell, out of one's system
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.