ENGLISH
REFERENCE

out

adv. · adj. · v. · n. · interj.
US //ˈaʊt// UK //ˈaʊt// out
  1. 1 away from the inside (adv.)
    A1 Beginner

    moving away from the inside of a place or container.

    indicating movement from the interior of a space or container to the exterior.

    Example

    She opened the cage and the bird flew out into the garden.

    Example

    The crowd poured out of the stadium as soon as the final whistle blew, filling the narrow streets with noise.
  2. 2 not at home or work (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    not in the place where you usually stay, like your home or office.

    not present in one's usual place of residence or business.

    Example

    I called her office, but her secretary said she was out for lunch.

    Example

    The manager is currently out on a site visit and is not expected back until late tomorrow afternoon.

    Usage

    usually follows the verb 'to be'
Show 7 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 available or public (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    available for people to see, buy, or use.

    released to the public or visible in the environment.

    Example

    The new video game comes out next Tuesday.

    Example

    The sun finally came out after three days of heavy rain and thick grey clouds.
  2. 4 no longer burning or working (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    not burning or not shining anymore.

    extinguished or no longer emitting light or heat.

    Example

    The campfire was out by the time we woke up the next morning.

    Example

    The power went out across the entire city during the thunderstorm, leaving thousands of homes in total darkness.
  3. 5 openly LGBTQ+ (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    being honest and public about being gay, trans, or another LGBTQ+ identity.

    open and public regarding one's sexual orientation or gender identity.

    Example

    He has been out to his family and friends since he was twenty.

    Example

    The documentary explores the challenges faced by athletes who choose to be out in professional sports environments.
    • closeted
  4. 6 to reveal a secret (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to tell people a secret about someone, especially that they are gay, without their permission.

    to publicly reveal a secret about someone, particularly their sexual orientation, often without their consent.

    Example

    The newspaper was criticised for trying to out the politician.

    Example

    The activist was accidentally outed by a former classmate in a social media post that quickly went viral.

    Usage

    transitive — requires a direct object
  5. 7 an excuse or escape (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a way to avoid doing something or to escape a difficult situation.

    a means of exit, escape, or a convenient excuse to avoid an obligation.

    Example

    He was looking for an out so he wouldn't have to go to the party.

    Example

    The contract was so poorly written that the company found an easy out when the project became too expensive.
  6. 8 sports dismissal (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    a situation in a game like baseball where a player must stop playing for that turn.

    a state in which a player is removed from play according to the rules of the game.

    Example

    The pitcher got the final out of the inning with a fast ball.

    Example

    With two outs and the bases loaded, the pressure on the young batter was immense.
  7. 9 radio communication (interj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Military

    a word used on a radio to say you have finished talking and do not expect an answer.

    a procedure word used in radio telecommunications to signal the end of a transmission.

    Example

    The captain said, 'We are heading home now. Out.'

    Example

    The pilot confirmed the coordinates and ended the transmission with a crisp 'Over and out'.

    Teacher's tip

    Explain to students that 'Over' means 'I am finished but I expect you to reply', while 'Out' means 'I am finished and the conversation is over'.
Origin

From Middle English out, oute, from a combination of Old English ūt (“out”, preposition & adverb), from Proto-West Germanic ūt, from Proto-Germanic ūt (“out”); and Old English ūte (“outside; without”, adverb), from Proto-Germanic ūtai (“out; outside”); both from Proto-Indo-European úd (“upwards, away”). Cognates Cognate with Scots oot (“out”), Yola out, outh, udh, ut, uth (“out”), North Frisian üt, ütj (“out”), Saterland Frisian uut (“out of”), West Frisian út (“out”), Cimbrian aus, auz (“out, outwards”), Dutch uit (“out”), German, Luxembourgish aus (“out”), Yiddish אויס (oys, “over, finished”), Danish ud (“out; outside”), Icelandic út (“out”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish ut (“out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍄 (ut, “out of”).

Word family

© 2026 English Reference