Dictionary.com
definitions

RELATED CONTENT

jump out boys
Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
fuck this shit I’m out
Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

squabble, clash, exchange, brawl, disagreement, controversy, feud, altercation, dispute, debate, quarrel, bickering, claim, pleading, apology, explanation, argument, allegation, action, spat

Idioms

    all out, with maximum effort; thoroughly or wholeheartedly: They went all out to finish by Friday.
    be on the/atouts with, Informal. to be estranged from (another person); be unfriendly or on bad terms with: He is on the outs with his brother.
    out and away, to a surpassing extent; far and away; by far: It was out and away the best apple pie she had ever eaten.
    out for, aggressively determined to acquire, achieve, etc.: He's out for all the money he can get.
    out from under, out of a difficult situation, especially of debts or other obligations: The work piled up while I was away and I don't know how I'll ever get out from under.
    out of,
    1. not within: out of the house.
    2. beyond the reach of: The boat's passengers had sailed out of hearing.
    3. not in a condition of: out of danger.
    4. so as to deprive or be deprived of.
    5. from within or among: Take the jokers out of the pack.
    6. because of; owing to: out of loyalty.
    7. foaled by (a dam): Grey Dancer out of Lady Grey.
    out of it, Informal.
    1. not part of or acceptable within an activity, social group, or fashion: She felt out of it because none of her friends were at the party.
    2. not conscious; drunk or heavily drugged.
    3. not alert or clearheaded; confused; muddled.
    4. eliminated from contention: If our team loses two more games, we'll be out of it.
    out of sight. sight(def 25).
    out of trim, Nautical. (of a ship) drawing excessively at the bow or stern.

Origin of out

before 900; (adv.) Middle English; Old English ūt; cognate with Dutch uit, German aus, Old Norse, Gothic ūt; akin to Sanskrit ud-; (adj., interjection, and preposition) Middle English, from the adv.; (v.) Middle English outen, Old English ūtian to put out, cognate with Old Frisian ūtia

die

1
[dahy]

verb (used without object), died, dy·ing.

to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead.
(of something inanimate) to cease to exist: The laughter died on his lips.
to lose force, strength, or active qualities: Superstitions die slowly.
to cease to function; stop: The motor died.
to be no longer subject; become indifferent: to die to worldly matters.
to pass gradually; fade or subside gradually (usually followed by away, out, or down): The storm slowly died down.
Theology. to lose spiritual life.
to faint or languish.
to suffer as if fatally: I'm dying of boredom!
to pine with desire, love, longing, etc.: I'm dying to see my home again.
to desire or want keenly or greatly: I'm dying for a cup of coffee.

Verb Phrases

die away, (of a sound) to become weaker or fainter and then cease: The hoofbeats gradually died away.
die down, to become calm or quiet; subside.
die off, to die one after another until the number is greatly reduced: Her friends are dying off.
die out,
  1. to cease to exist; become extinct: Both lines of the family died out before the turn of the century.
  2. to die away; fade; subside: The roar of the engines died out as the rocket vanished into the clouds.

Origin of die

1
1150–1200; Middle English dien, deien < Old Norse deyja. Cf. dead, death
Can be confuseddie dye

Synonyms for die

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR die ON THESAURUS.COM
1. expire, depart.

Synonym study

1. Die, pass away ( pass on; pass ), perish mean to relinquish life. To die is to become dead from any cause and in any circumstances. It is the simplest, plainest, and most direct word for this idea, and is used figuratively of anything that has once displayed activity: An echo, flame, storm, rumor dies. Pass away (or pass on or pass ) is a commonly used euphemism implying a continuation of life after death: Grandfather passed away ( passed on or passed ). Perish, a more literary term, implies death under harsh circumstances such as hunger, cold, neglect, etc.; figuratively, perish connotes utter extinction: Hardship caused many pioneers to perish. Ancient Egyptian civilization has perished.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for outs

Contemporary Examples of outs

Historical Examples of outs

  • It would take too long and I don't know the ins and outs of it, anyway.

    Galusha the Magnificent

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • "The pass has too many ins and outs for this," he thought, and he unchained the horses.

  • Then I'll be a Lance in a year—knowin' what I know about the ins an' outs o' things.

  • "It had its outs—this cruising to distant ports," announced his father.

  • We can discuss all the ins and outs some day when this is all over.

    The Best Made Plans

    Everett B. Cole

British Dictionary definitions for outs

out

adverb

(often used as a particle) at or to a point beyond the limits of some location; outsideget out at once
(particle) out of consciousnessshe passed out at the sight of blood
(particle) used to indicate a burst of activity as indicated by the verbfever broke out
(particle) used to indicate obliteration of an objectthe graffiti were painted out
(particle) used to indicate an approximate drawing or descriptionsketch out; chalk out
public; revealedthe secret is out
(often used as a particle) away from one's custody or ownership, esp on hireto let out a cottage
on sale or on view to the publicthe book is being brought out next May
(of a young woman) in or into polite societyLucinda had a fabulous party when she came out
(of the sun, stars, etc) visible
(of a jury) withdrawn to consider a verdict in private
(particle) used to indicate exhaustion or extinctionthe sugar's run out; put the light out
(particle) used to indicate a goal or object achieved at the end of the action specified by the verbhe worked it out; let's fight it out, then!
(preceded by a superlative) existingthe friendliest dog out
an expression in signalling, radio, etc, to indicate the end of a transmission
Australian and NZ archaic in or to Australia or New Zealandhe came out last year
out of
  1. at or to a point outsideout of his reach
  2. away from; not instepping out of line; out of focus
  3. because of, motivated bydoing it out of jealousy
  4. from (a material or source)made out of plastic
  5. not or no longer having any of (a substance, material, etc)we're out of sugar

adjective (postpositive)

not or not any longer worth consideringthat plan is out because of the weather
not allowedsmoking on duty is out
(also prenominal) not in vogue; unfashionablethat sort of dress is out these days
(of a fire or light) no longer burning or providing illuminationthe fire is out
not workingthe radio's out
unconscioushe was out for two minutes
out to it Australian and NZ informal asleep or unconscious, esp because drunk
not in; not at homecall back later, they're out now
desirous of or intent on (something or doing something)I'm out for as much money as I can get
Also: out on strike on strikethe machine shop is out
(in several games and sports) denoting the state in which a player is caused to discontinue active participation, esp in some specified role
used up; exhaustedour supplies are completely out
worn into holesthis sweater is out at the elbows
inaccurate, deficient, or discrepantout by six pence
not in office or authorityhis party will be out at the election
completed or concluded, as of timebefore the year is out
in flowerthe roses are out now
in arms, esp, in rebellionone of his ancestors was out in the Forty-Five
(also prenominal) being outthe out position on the dial
informal not concealing one's homosexuality

preposition

out of; out throughhe ran out the door
archaic, or dialect outside; beyondhe comes from out our domain

interjection

  1. an exclamation, usually peremptory, of dismissal, reproach, etc
  2. (in wireless telegraphy) an expression used to signal that the speaker is signing off
out with it a command to make something known immediately, without missing any details

noun

mainly US a method of escape from a place, difficult situation, punishment, etc
baseball an instance of the putting out of a batter; putout
printing
  1. the omission of words from a printed text; lacuna
  2. the words so omitted
ins and outs See in 1 (def. 30)

verb

(tr) to put or throw out
(intr) to be made known or effective despite efforts to the contrary (esp in the phrase will out)the truth will out
(tr) informal (of homosexuals) to expose (a public figure) as being a fellow homosexual
(tr) informal to expose something secret, embarrassing, or unknown about (a person)he was eventually outed as a talented goal scorer

Word Origin for out

Old English ūt; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse ūt, Old High German ūz, German aus

usage

The use of out as a preposition, though common in American English, is regarded as incorrect in British English: he climbed out of (not out) a window; he went out through the door

die

1

verb dies, dying or died (mainly intr)

(of an organism or its cells, organs, etc) to cease all biological activity permanentlyshe died of pneumonia
(of something inanimate) to cease to exist; come to an endthe memory of her will never die
(often foll by away, down, or out) to lose strength, power, or energy, esp by degrees
(often foll by away or down) to become calm or quiet; subsidethe noise slowly died down
to stop functioningthe engine died
to languish or pine, as with love, longing, etc
(usually foll by of) informal to be nearly overcome (with laughter, boredom, etc)
theol to lack spiritual life within the soul, thus separating it from God and leading to eternal punishment
(tr) to undergo or suffer (a death of a specified kind) (esp in phrases such as die a saintly death)
(foll by to) to become indifferent or apathetic (to)to die to the world
never say die informal never give up
die hard to cease to exist after resistance or a struggleold habits die hard
die in harness to die while still working or active, prior to retirement
be dying (foll by for or an infinitive) to be eager or desperate (for something or to do something)I'm dying to see the new house
to die for informal highly desirablea salary to die for
See also dieback, die down, die out

Word Origin for die

Old English dīegan, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse deyja, Old High German touwen

usage

It was formerly considered incorrect to use the preposition from after die, but of and from are now both acceptable: he died of/from his injuries

die

2

noun

  1. a shaped block of metal or other hard material used to cut or form metal in a drop forge, press, or similar device
  2. a tool of metal, silicon carbide, or other hard material with a conical hole through which wires, rods, or tubes are drawn to reduce their diameter
an internally-threaded tool for cutting external threadsCompare tap 2 (def. 6)
a casting mould giving accurate dimensions and a good surface to the object castSee also die-cast
architect the dado of a pedestal, usually cubic
another name for dice (def. 2)
as straight as a die perfectly honest
the die is cast the decision that commits a person irrevocably to an action has been taken

Word Origin for die

C13 dee, from Old French de, perhaps from Vulgar Latin datum (unattested) a piece in games, noun use of past participle of Latin dare to play
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for outs

out

v.

Old English utian "expel, put out" (see out (adv.)); used in many senses over the years. Meaning "to expose as a closet homosexual" is first recorded 1990 (as an adjective meaning "openly avowing one's homosexuality" it dates from 1970s; see closet); sense of "disclose to public view, reveal, make known" has been present since mid-14c.

Eufrosyne preyde Þat god schulde not outen hire to nowiht. [Legendary of St. Euphrosyne, c.1350]

Related: Outed; outing.

out

n.

1620s, "a being out" (of something), from out (adv.). From 1860 in baseball sense; from 1919 as "means of escape; alibi."

die

v.

mid-12c., possibly from Old Danish døja or Old Norse deyja "to die, pass away," both from Proto-Germanic *dawjanan (cf. Old Frisian deja "to kill," Old Saxon doian, Old High German touwen, Gothic diwans "mortal"), from PIE root *dheu- (3) "to pass away, become senseless" (cf. Old Irish dith "end, death," Old Church Slavonic daviti, Russian davit' "to choke, suffer").

It has been speculated that Old English had *diegan, from the same source, but it is not in any of the surviving texts and the preferred words were steorfan (see starve), sweltan (see swelter), wesan dead, also forðgan and other euphemisms.

Languages usually don't borrow words from abroad for central life experiences, but "die" words are an exception, because they are often hidden or changed euphemistically out of superstitious dread. A Dutch euphemism translates as "to give the pipe to Maarten." Regularly spelled dege through 15c., and still pronounced "dee" by some in Lancashire and Scotland. Used figuratively (of sounds, etc.) from 1580s. Related: Died; dies.

die

n.

early 14c. (as a plural, late 14c. as a singular), from Old French de "die, dice," of uncertain origin. Common Romanic (cf. Spanish, Portuguese, Italian dado, Provençal dat, Catalan dau), perhaps from Latin datum "given," past participle of dare (see date (n.1)), which, in addition to "give," had a secondary sense of "to play" (as a chess piece); or else from "what is given" (by chance or Fortune). Sense of "stamping block or tool" first recorded 1690s.

out

adv.

Old English ut "out, without, outside," common Germanic (cf. Old Norse, Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Gothic ut, Middle Dutch uut, Dutch uit, Old High German uz, German aus), from PIE root *ud- "up, out, up away" (cf. Sanskrit ut "up, out," uttarah "higher, upper, later, northern;" Avestan uz- "up, out," Old Irish ud- "out," Latin usque "all the way to, without interruption," Greek hysteros "the latter," Russian vy- "out"). Meaning "into public notice" is from 1540s. As an adjective from c.1200. Meaning "unconscious" is attested from 1898, originally in boxing. Sense of "not popular or modern" is from 1966. As a preposition from mid-13c.

Sense in baseball (1860) was earlier in cricket (1746). Adverbial phrase out-and-out "thoroughly" is attested from early 14c.; adjective usage is attested from 1813; out-of-the-way (adj.) "remote, secluded" is attested from late 15c. Out-of-towner "one not from a certain place" is from 1911. Shakespeare's It out-herods Herod ("Hamlet") reflects Herod as stock braggart and bully in old religious drama and was widely imitated 19c. Out to lunch "insane" is student slang from 1955; out of this world "excellent" is from 1938; out of sight "excellent, superior" is from 1891.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for outs

die

[dī]

v.

To cease living; become dead; expire.
To cease existing, especially by degrees; fade.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Idioms and Phrases with outs

outs

see ins and outs; on the outs.

die

In addition to the idioms beginning with die

  • die away
  • die down
  • die for
  • die hard
  • die in harness
  • die is cast, the
  • die laughing
  • die off
  • die out
  • die to
  • die with one's boots on

also see:

  • curl up (and die)
  • do or die
  • it's to die
  • never say die

out

In addition to the idioms beginning with out

  • out and about
  • out and away
  • out at the elbows
  • out back
  • out cold
  • out for, be
  • out for the count
  • out from under
  • out front
  • out in left field
  • out in the cold
  • out in the open
  • out like a light
  • out loud
  • out of a clear blue sky
  • out of, be
  • out of bounds
  • out of breath
  • out of business
  • out of character
  • out of circulation
  • out of commission
  • out of condition
  • out of control
  • out of date
  • out of fashion
  • out of favor
  • out of gas
  • out of hand
  • out of harm's way
  • out of humor
  • out of it
  • out of joint
  • out of keeping
  • out of key
  • 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
  • out of one's way
  • out of order
  • out of phase
  • out of place
  • out of pocket
  • out of practice
  • out of print
  • out of proportion
  • out of reach
  • out of season
  • out of shape
  • out of sight
  • out of sorts
  • out of square
  • out of step
  • out of stock
  • out of the blue
  • out of the corner of one's eye
  • out of the frying pan into the fire
  • out of the hole
  • out of the loop
  • out of the mouths of babes
  • out of the ordinary
  • out of the picture
  • out of the question
  • out of the rain
  • out of the running
  • out of the way
  • out of the window
  • out of the woods
  • out of the woodwork
  • out of thin air
  • out of this world
  • out of touch
  • out of town
  • out of turn
  • out of wedlock
  • out of whack
  • out of whole cloth
  • out of work
  • out on a limb
  • out on bail
  • out on one's ear
  • out on the town
  • outside of
  • out to lunch
  • out with it

also see:

  • ace out
  • act out
  • all out
  • ask out
  • back out
  • bail out
  • bang out
  • bawl out
  • bear out
  • beat one's brains out
  • beat out
  • belt out
  • bent out of shape
  • black out
  • bliss out
  • blot out
  • blow one's brains out
  • blow out
  • blurt out
  • bottom out
  • bow out
  • branch out
  • brave out
  • break out
  • break out of
  • bring out
  • bug out
  • bum out
  • burn out
  • burst into (out)
  • buy out
  • call out
  • camp out
  • cancel out
  • card in (out)
  • carry out
  • cast out
  • check out
  • chew out
  • chicken out
  • chill out
  • churn out
  • clean out
  • clear out
  • clock in (out)
  • close out
  • come out
  • come out ahead
  • come out in the wash
  • come out of
  • come out with
  • conk out
  • cool off (out)
  • cop out
  • count out
  • crank out
  • crap out
  • crop out
  • cry (out) for
  • cut it out
  • cut out
  • day after day (day in, day out)
  • deal out
  • deck out
  • die out
  • dig out
  • dine out on
  • dish out
  • do out of
  • dope out
  • down and out
  • drag on (out)
  • draw out
  • drop out
  • drown out
  • drum out
  • dry out
  • duck out
  • ease out
  • eat someone out of house and home
  • eat one's heart out
  • eat out
  • eat out of one's hand
  • edge out
  • eke out
  • fade out
  • fall out
  • farm out
  • far out
  • feel out
  • ferret out
  • fight it out
  • figure out
  • fill out
  • find out
  • fish out
  • fish out of water
  • fit out
  • fizzle out
  • flake out
  • flat out
  • flesh out
  • flip one's lid (out)
  • flunk out
  • follow out
  • for crying out loud
  • fork over (out)
  • freak out
  • freeze out
  • fresh out of
  • get out
  • get out of
  • get the lead out
  • give out
  • go out
  • go out of one's way
  • gross out
  • grow out of
  • gut it out
  • hammer out
  • hand out
  • hang out
  • hang out one's shingle
  • hang out to dry
  • hash over (out)
  • have an out
  • have it out
  • have one's work cut out
  • head out
  • hear out
  • heart goes out to
  • help out
  • hide out
  • hire out
  • hit out
  • hold out
  • in (out of) favor
  • in one ear and out the other
  • in (out of) one's element
  • in (out of) one's hair
  • in (out of) print
  • in (out of) reach
  • ins and outs
  • inside out
  • into (out of) thin air
  • in (out of) tune
  • iron out
  • jury is still out
  • keep an eye out
  • kick out
  • knock out
  • knock the bottom out
  • lash out
  • lay out
  • leave out
  • let out
  • let the cat out of the bag
  • light out
  • like a bat out of hell
  • live out
  • lock out
  • log in (out)
  • look out
  • look out for
  • lose out
  • luck out
  • make a mountain out of a molehill
  • make capital out of
  • make out
  • max out
  • mellow out
  • miss out on
  • murder will out
  • muster in (out)
  • nose out
  • nose out of joint
  • odd man out
  • on the outs
  • on the way out
  • opt out
  • pan out
  • parcel out
  • pass out
  • pay out
  • peter out
  • phase in (out)
  • pick out
  • pig it (out)
  • played out
  • play out
  • point out
  • poop out
  • pound out
  • pour out
  • price out of the market
  • print out
  • prove out
  • psych out
  • pull out
  • pull out all the stops
  • pull out of a hat
  • pull the rug out
  • punch in (out)
  • put one out
  • put oneself out
  • put out
  • put out feelers
  • put someone out of his or her misery
  • put out to grass
  • puzzle out
  • rack out
  • rain out
  • read out of
  • ride out
  • right out
  • right-side out
  • roll out
  • root out
  • round off (out)
  • rough out
  • rub out
  • rule out
  • run out of
  • run out on
  • sack in (out)
  • scare out of one's wits
  • screw someone out of
  • see out
  • sell out
  • set out
  • settle (wipe out) old scores
  • shell out
  • ship out
  • shut out
  • sign out
  • sing out
  • single out
  • sit out
  • skip out
  • sleep out
  • slip out
  • smoke out
  • snap out of it
  • sniff out
  • snuff out
  • sound out
  • space out
  • spell out
  • spin out
  • stake out
  • stamp out
  • stand out
  • start out
  • step out
  • stick one's neck out
  • stick out
  • straighten out
  • stress out
  • strike out
  • string out
  • strung out
  • swear out
  • sweat out
  • take a leaf out of someone's book
  • take it out on
  • take out
  • take the wind out of someone's sails
  • talked out
  • talk out
  • talk out of
  • tease out
  • tell tales (out of school)
  • think out
  • thrash out
  • throw out
  • time out
  • tired out
  • top out
  • trick out
  • trot out
  • truth will out
  • try out
  • tuckered out
  • tune out
  • turn out
  • wait out
  • walk out
  • want in (out)
  • washed out
  • wash out
  • wear out
  • weasel out
  • weave in and out
  • weed out
  • well out of
  • whacked out
  • wig out
  • win out
  • wipe out
  • work out
  • worm out of
  • write out
  • year in, year out
  • zap out
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.