I. ADVERB USES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: 'Out' is often used with verbs of movement, such as ‘walk’ and ‘pull’, and also in phrasal verbs such as ‘give ~’ and ‘run ~’.
1.
When something is in a particular place and you take it ~, you remove it from that place.
Carefully pull ~ the centre pages...
He took ~ his notebook and flipped the pages...
They paid in that cheque a couple of days ago, and drew ~ around two thousand in cash.
ADV: ADV after v
2.
You can use ~ to indicate that you are talking ab~ the situation ~side, rather than inside buildings.
It’s hot ~–very hot, very humid.
= ~side
ADV: ADV after v
3.
If you are ~, you are not at home or not at your usual place of work.
I tried to get in touch with you yesterday evening, but I think you were ~...
She had to go ~.
ADV: be ADV, ADV after v
4.
If you say that someone is ~ in a particular place, you mean that they are in a different place, usually one far away.
The police tell me they’ve finished their investigations ~ there...
Rosie’s husband was now ~ East.
ADV: ADV adv/prep
5.
When the sea or tide goes ~, the sea moves away from the shore.
The tide was ~ and they walked among the rock pools.
? in
ADV: ADV after v, be ADV
6.
If you are ~ a particular amount of money, you have that amount less than you should or than you did. (mainly AM)
Me and my friends are ~ ten thousand dollars, with nothing to show for it!
ADV: ADV n
II. ADJECTIVE AND ADVERB USES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If a light or fire is ~ or goes ~, it is no longer shining or burning.
All the lights were ~ in the house...
Several of the lights went ~, one after another.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
2.
If flowers are ~, their petals have opened.
Well, the daffodils are ~ in the gardens and they’re always a beautiful show.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
•
Out is also an adverb.
I usually put it in my diary when I see the wild flowers coming ~.
ADV: ADV after v
3.
If something such as a book or CD is ~, it is available for people to buy.
...cover versions of 40 British Number Ones–~ now.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
•
Out is also an adverb.
The French edition came ~ in early 1992.
ADV: ADV after v
4.
If workers are ~, they are on strike. (INFORMAL)
We’ve been ~ for two and a half months and we’re not going back until we get what we’re asking for.
= on strike
ADJ: v-link ADJ
•
Out is also an adverb.
In June last year, 26 people came ~ on strike protesting against a compulsory 65-hour week.
ADV: ADV after v
5.
In a game or sport, if someone is ~, they can no longer take part either because they are unable to or because they have been defeated.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
6.
In baseball, a player is ~ if they do not reach a base safely. When three players in a team are ~ in an inning, then the team is ~.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
7.
If you say that a proposal or suggestion is ~, you mean that it is unacceptable.
That’s right ~, I’m afraid.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
8.
If you say that a particular thing is ~, you mean that it is no longer fashionable at the present time.
Romance is making a comeback. Reality is ~.
? in
ADJ: v-link ADJ
9.
If you say that a calculation or measurement is ~, you mean that it is incorrect.
When the two ends of the tunnel met in the middle they were only a few inches ~.
ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft amount ADJ
10.
If someone is ~ to do something, they intend to do it. (INFORMAL)
Most companies these days are just ~ to make a quick profit.
ADJ: v-link ADJ to-inf
III. VERB USE
(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
If a group of people ~ a public figure or famous person, they reveal that person’s homosexuality against their wishes.
The New York gay action group ‘Queer Nation’ recently ~ed an American Congressman.
VERB: V n
~ing
The gay and lesbian rights group, Stonewall, sees ~ing as completely unhelpful.
N-UNCOUNT
IV. PREPOSITION USES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: 'Out of' is used with verbs of movement, such as ‘walk’ and ‘pull’, and also in phrasal verbs such as ‘do ~ of’ and ‘grow ~ of’. In American English and informal British English, '~' is often used instead of '~ of'.
1.
If you go ~ of a place, you leave it.
She let him ~ of the house.
? into
PREP-PHRASE
2.
If you take something ~ of the container or place where it has been, you remove it so that it is no longer there.
I always took my key ~ of my bag and put it in my pocket.
PREP-PHRASE
3.
If you look or sh~ ~ of a window, you look or sh~ away from the room where you are towards the ~side.
He went on staring ~ of the window...
He looked ~ the window at the car on the street below.
PREP-PHRASE
4.
If you are ~ of the sun, the rain, or the wind, you are sheltered from it.
People can keep ~ of the sun to avoid skin cancer.
PREP-PHRASE
5.
If someone or something gets ~ of a situation, especially an unpleasant one, they are then no longer in it. If they keep ~ of it, they do not start being in it.
In the past army troops have relied heavily on air support to get them ~ of trouble...
The economy is starting to climb ~ of recession...
PREP-PHRASE
6.
You can use ~ of to say that someone leaves an institution.
You come ~ of university and find there are no jobs available...
Doctors should be able to decide who they can safely let ~ of hospital early.
PREP-PHRASE
7.
If you are ~ of range of something, you are beyond the limits of that range.
Shaun was in the bedroom, ~ of earshot, watching television...
He turned to look back, but by then she was ~ of sight.
PREP-PHRASE
8.
You use ~ of to say what feeling or reason causes someone to do something. For example, if you do something ~ of pity, you do it because you pity someone.
He took up office ~ of a sense of duty...
PREP-PHRASE
9.
If you get something such as information or work ~ of someone, you manage to make them give it to you, usually when they are unwilling to give it.
‘Where is she being held prisoner?’ I asked. ‘Did you get it ~ of him?’...
We knew we could get better work ~ of them.
PREP-PHRASE
10.
If you get pleasure or an advantage ~ of something, you get it as a result of being involved with that thing or making use of it.
We all had a lot of fun ~ of him...
To get the most ~ of your money, you have to invest.
= from
PREP-PHRASE
11.
If you are ~ of something, you no longer have any of it.
I can’t find the sugar–and we’re ~ of milk.
PREP-PHRASE
12.
If something is made ~ of a particular material, it consists of that material because it has been formed or constructed from it.
Would you advise people to make a building ~ of wood or stone?
= from
PREP-PHRASE
13.
You use ~ of to indicate what proportion of a group of things something is true of. For example, if something is true of one ~ of five things, it is true of one fifth of all things of that kind.
Two ~ of five thought the business would be sold privately on their retirement or death...
= in
PREP-PHRASE: num PREP num