Phrasal verb
be out
Definition
phrasal verb. to be away from your home or office for a short time.
phrasal verb. to be absent from a specific location, typically one's home or place of work, for a temporary period.
Examples
“I'm sorry, the manager is out for lunch.”
“I called her house earlier but her mother said she would be out until six.”
“The director will be out for the remainder of the week attending a conference, so please direct all urgent inquiries to his assistant.”
Examples
simple
“I'm sorry, the manager is out for lunch.”
contextual
“I called her house earlier but her mother said she would be out until six.”
complex
“The director will be out for the remainder of the week attending a conference, so please direct all urgent inquiries to his assistant.”
Usage
often followed by a time expression or a reason for the absence.
Teaching tip
this is a stative phrasal verb using 'be'; contrast with 'go out' which focuses on the movement or the social activity itself.
Pitfall
He is out to the shop.
He is out at the shop.
use 'at' or 'in' for the location while being out; 'to' implies the movement which 'be out' does not cover.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
be + out
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/be-out