out of order

1. Not functioning well, not operating properly or at all, as in The oil burner is out of order again . [Mid-1500s]

2. Unsuitable, inappropriate, as in Her comments about the management were out of order . Also see out of line , def. 1.

3. Not following parliamentary procedure, as in The chair called him out of order .

Example Sentences

But two of them had been out of order "for some time", the probe showed.

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He created that, through him being out of order to one or two of the lads.

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They arrived to find the phone temporarily out of order.

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A source told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that his body was discovered by cleaning staff who had thought that the toilet door was locked for days due to the facility being out of order.

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His application was ruled out of order - a decision upheld by an appeal panel of Welsh Labour's executive committee.

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