get out of hand

idiom

Meaning

Get out of control

Origin

disputed origin

From horsemanship: a horse gets 'out of hand' when the rider loses control of the reins held in the hand.

Examples

SIMPLE

The party is starting to get out of hand.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager had to step in before the argument between the two customers could get out of hand.

COMPLEX

What began as a minor disagreement over the budget quickly got out of hand, leading to a complete breakdown in communication between the two departments.

Last updated June 7, 2026