Added 9 October 2026
out
/ˈäʊ̯t/ adverb
In Latin: forīs Wiktionary
adverb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about out at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
preposition
noun
-
A means of exit, escape, reprieve, etc.
They wrote the law to give those organizations an out.
- A state in which a member of the batting team is removed from play due to the application of various rules of the game such as striking out, hitting a fly ball which is caught by the fielding team before bouncing, etc.
- A dismissal; a state in which a member of the batting team finishes his turn at bat, due to the application of various rules of the game, such as the bowler knocking over the batsman's wicket with the ball.
verb
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”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)