out of character : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: out of character	by the DICT Development Group
1 result for out of character
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Out \Out\, adv. [OE. out, ut, oute, ute, AS. [umac]t, and [umac]te, [umac]tan, fr. [umac]t; akin to D. uit, OS. [umac]t, G. aus, OHG. [umac]z, Icel. [umac]t, Sw. ut, Dan. ud, Goth. ut, Skr. ud. [root]198. Cf. {About}, {But}, prep., {Carouse}, {Utter}, a.] In its original and strict sense, out means from the interior of something; beyond the limits or boundary of somethings; in a position or relation which is exterior to something; -- opposed to {in} or {into}. The something may be expressed after of, from, etc. (see {Out of}, below); or, if not expressed, it is implied; as, he is out; or, he is out of the house, office, business, etc.; he came out; or, he came out from the ship, meeting, sect, party, etc. Out is used in a variety of applications, as: 1. Away; abroad; off; from home, or from a certain, or a usual, place; not in; not in a particular, or a usual, place; as, the proprietor is out, his team was taken out. [bd]My shoulder blade is out.[b8] --Shak. He hath been out (of the country) nine years. --Shak. 2. Beyond the limits of concealment, confinement, privacy, constraint, etc., actual of figurative; hence, not in concealment, constraint, etc., in, or into, a state of freedom, openness, disclosure, publicity, etc.; as, the sun shines out; he laughed out, to be out at the elbows; the secret has leaked out, or is out; the disease broke out on his face; the book is out. Leaves are out and perfect in a month. --Bacon. She has not been out [in general society] very long. --H. James. 3. Beyond the limit of existence, continuance, or supply; to the end; completely; hence, in, or into, a condition of extinction, exhaustion, completion; as, the fuel, or the fire, has burned out. [bd]Hear me out.[b8] --Dryden. Deceitiful men shall not live out half their days. --Ps. iv. 23. When the butt is out, we will drink water. --Shak. 4. Beyond possession, control, or occupation; hence, in, or into, a state of want, loss, or deprivation; -- used of office, business, property, knowledge, etc.; as, the Democrats went out and the Whigs came in; he put his money out at interest. [bd]Land that is out at rack rent.[b8] --Locke. [bd]He was out fifty pounds.[b8] --Bp. Fell. I have forgot my part, and I am out. --Shak. 5. Beyond the bounds of what is true, reasonable, correct, proper, common, etc.; in error or mistake; in a wrong or incorrect position or opinion; in a state of disagreement, opposition, etc.; in an inharmonious relation. [bd]Lancelot and I are out.[b8] --Shak. Wicked men are strangely out in the calculating of their own interest. --South. Very seldom out, in these his guesses. --Addison. 6. Not in the position to score in playing a game; not in the state or turn of the play for counting or gaining scores. Note: Out is largely used in composition as a prefix, with the same significations that it has as a separate word; as outbound, outbreak, outbuilding, outcome, outdo, outdoor, outfield. See also the first Note under {Over}, adv. {Day in, day out}, from the beginning to the limit of each of several days; day by day; every day. {Out and out}. (a) adv. Completely; wholly; openly. (b) adj. Without any reservation or disguise; absolute; as, an out and out villain. [As an {adj}. written also {out-and-out}.] {Out at}, {Out in}, {Out on}, etc., elliptical phrases, that to which out refers as a source, origin, etc., being omitted; as, out (of the house and) at the barn; out (of the house, road, fields, etc., and) in the woods. Three fishers went sailing out into the west, Out into the west, as the sun went down. --C. Kingsley. Note: In these lines after out may be understood, [bd]of the harbor,[b8] [bd]from the shore,[b8] [bd]of sight,[b8] or some similar phrase. The complete construction is seen in the saying: [bd]Out of the frying pan into the fire.[b8] {Out from}, a construction similar to {out of} (below). See {Of} and {From}. {Out of}, a phrase which may be considered either as composed of an adverb and a preposition, each having its appropriate office in the sentence, or as a compound preposition. Considered as a preposition, it denotes, with verbs of movement or action, from the interior of; beyond the limit: from; hence, origin, source, motive, departure, separation, loss, etc.; -- opposed to {in} or {into}; also with verbs of being, the state of being derived, removed, or separated from. Examples may be found in the phrases below, and also under Vocabulary words; as, out of breath; out of countenance. {Out of cess}, beyond measure, excessively. --Shak. {Out of character}, unbecoming; improper. {Out of conceit with}, not pleased with. See under {Conceit}. {Out of date}, not timely; unfashionable; antiquated. {Out of door}, {Out of doors}, beyond the doors; from the house; in, or into, the open air; hence, figuratively, shut out; dismissed. See under {Door}, also, {Out-of-door}, {Outdoor}, {Outdoors}, in the Vocabulary. [bd]He 's quality, and the question's out of door,[b8] --Dryden. {Out of favor}, disliked; under displeasure. {Out of frame}, not in correct order or condition; irregular; disarranged. --Latimer. {Out of hand}, immediately; without delay or preparation. [bd]Ananias . . . fell down and died out of hand.[b8] --Latimer.