out of order
out of order (idiom / adjective phrase)
/ˌaʊt əv ˈɔːrdər/
Meanings
- Improper or rude in behavior.
- Against rules of conduct.
- Broken or not working (machine, device, or system).
- Not in the correct sequence or arrangement.
- Temporarily unavailable or unusable.
Synonyms: improper; inappropriate; rude; broken; faulty; malfunctioning; disorganized; out of sequence.
Example Sentences
- His harsh remarks to the manager were completely out of order.
- Talking during the judge’s decision is considered out of order.
- The printer is out of order, so we cannot print the documents.
- The pages in this book are out of order, which makes it confusing to read.
- The ATM is out of order due to a system update.
Origin and History
The idiom “out of order” is a literal composition that first appears in print in England in the sixteenth century. Initially used in the sense of “not in proper arrangement or sequence,” it gradually developed figurative meanings such as “improper” or “contrary to expected rules,” and later expanded to include the modern sense of “not functioning.”
Etymological Background
The phrase “out of order” is formed from very old linguistic material: the preposition “out,” the linking word “of,” and the noun “order,” which comes from Latin ordo through French and Middle English. In Latin contexts, ‘extra ordinem’ meant “outside the usual order.” English adapted this structure naturally, and by the sixteenth century the collocation “out of order” had taken recognizable shape.
Earliest Printed Record
The earliest verified printed appearance of “out of order” is found in Barnabe Googe’s 1577 English translation Foure Bookes of Husbandry, published in London. The text reads:
“… and vsed alwayes to iudge, that where they founde the Garden out of order, the wyfe of the house (for unto her belonged the charge thereof) was no good huswyfe.”
Here the sense is literal, describing a garden that is untidy or improperly kept.
Geographic Origin
The earliest appearances of “out of order” occur in English works printed and circulated in London. Both manuscript and printed sources from this period confirm that the phrase originated in England as a natural extension of native English idiom-building.
Figurative and Procedural Senses
From the seventeenth century onward, the phrase began to broaden. Writers used “out of order” not only for physical disorder but also for people and conduct. For instance, a diarist recorded “my wife mightily out of order,” meaning upset or indisposed. In public settings, it took on a procedural meaning: when a speaker or motion violated the rules of debate, it could be declared “out of order.” This procedural usage became firmly established in parliamentary and assembly language.
Mechanical and Technical Usage
With the growth of industry and technology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, “out of order” was applied to machinery and systems. Signs on elevators, telephones, and public devices began to carry the notice “out of order,” indicating that the equipment was not functioning. This sense is now one of the most common in everyday English.
Manuscript Evidence and Broader Chronology
Before its print record, the phrase “out of order” appears in sixteenth-century manuscripts and official correspondence in England. These uses reveal that the collocation was already in circulation before it entered printed books. Over time, its meanings layered: from literal disarray, to emotional or physical upset, to breaches of procedure, and finally to technical malfunction.
Origin Summary
The idiom “out of order” illustrates how simple words can evolve into a versatile phrase with multiple figurative applications. Emerging in sixteenth-century England, it shifted from literal disorder to figurative impropriety and eventually to the modern association with mechanical failure. Its endurance demonstrates the adaptability of idiomatic English across centuries and contexts.
Variants
- out of service
- not in order
- out of sequence
Share your opinions