out of one’s depth
out of one’s depth
Meaning
- a situation beyond one’s knowledge or ability
- to not have the knowledge, or understanding to handle a specific situation
- a complicated situation to cope with
- to get stuck in the circumstances that one was not well prepared for
The literal meaning of out of one’s depth:
In water too deep that goes over one’s head and cannot stand or may be at risk of drowning. (See example 7)
Example Sentences
- After watching this film, the audience realized that making comedy movies was out of the depth of this director.
- She was out of her depth in the advanced class.
- William was not very well in his studies and always felt out of his depth in school.
- I asked Steve to help on this project because it’s a bit out of my depth.
- I never knew that I would feel so out of my depth after moving to a new city.
- The team soon realized they were out of their depth on the first day of the project.
- I can’t swim, so I am not going out of my depth.
Origin
The expression was available in prints since the mid-1600s and initially appeared in its literal sense.
The earliest printed record can be found in Comedies and Tragedies by Thomas Killigrew (1664):
“He was never out of his depth before; you shall see him plunge and struggle like a young swimmer to get of the puddle.”
Synonyms
- out of one’s league
- over one’s head
Share your opinions2 Opinions
“Beyond my depth” appears in Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, decades earlier than Killigrew’s work.
‒ Uncle Ge March 11, 2022
No. The meaning you have up there pertains to the idiom, “Out of one’s depth,” which means out of one’s league. i.e. I am out my depth in math. It is beyond my understanding.
There is a second idiom, “Out of the depths,” which means something rises out of something. For instance: Out of the depths of the Yangtze River in Central China, rises the Three Gorges Dam, over sixty stories high.
‒ carol hall November 14, 2013