"Out" is an intriguing word. Commonly thought of as an adverb or preposition, it can also function as an adjective, noun, or even a verb. If we think about it within no particular context, the first thing that comes to mind is its basic meaning: situated "outside of" or "at a particular distance from" somewhere. However, "out" can mean much more than that.
The first version of this blog post was originally published on 10/10/2020 and is the original work of Drew Anne Oliver. All rights to this content are reserved, and any use or reproduction of this material must be credited to drewanneoliver.com.
Basic Meanings of "OUT"
For starters, when "out" functions as an adverb of place, it can also convey the idea of movement, as in "I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs." But, as I mentioned above, "out" can also play other roles:
Preposition: She threw the trash out the window. (direction of throwing, through the window to the outside)
Adjective: The lights are out. (not functioning)
Noun: He found an out in the contract. (a way to avoid something)
Verb: She outed the secret. (revealed something)
Expanded Meanings of "OUT"
Going a little bit further from the basics, it becomes evident that "out" has various nuanced meanings depending on the context, but they all somehow converge to the fundamental idea behind it.
Someone called while you were out. (absent for a short time)
The thieves were spotted by a mailman out on his rounds. (as he was delivering the mail)
The police were out in force at the demonstration. (present in large numbers)
Both copies of the book were out. (not available in the library, borrowed by someone)
Two of the best players on the team were out after ten minutes. (no longer able to play, out of the game)
Phrasal Verbs with "OUT"
By the same token, we can use "out" to form phrasal constructions that borrow this primary sense of outward direction/movement or outside position: I'll get out when you stop at the red light (leave the vehicle). With this idea in mind, C1/C2+ English users can understand and use such constructions quite naturally and instinctively.
I can't go out tonight - I have work to do. (go away from home for a social activity)
Do you want to eat out tonight? (eat at a restaurant)
He asked me out to the movies next week. (asked me to go with him)
The Social Democrats were voted out after 15 years in power. (no longer able to govern because they lost an election)
The police search party spread out across the fields. (spreading out from a central point over a wider area)
The stain won't come out. (disappear)
Cross out any words that are not on the list. (remove)
"OUT" in Extreme Contexts
Another meaning of "out", however, has to do with extremes. In fact, it has the ability to strengthen a word's meaning, making it either "too much" or "too little".
We walked all day and were tired out by the time we got home. (very tired)
She's been really stressed out these days. (under a lot of stress)
Never use water to put out fires in electrical equipment. (extinguish)
Our time/money/patience ran out. (exhausted, ended)
How to Create NEW Phrasal Verbs with "OUT"
Now, here's where "out" has legs. If you want to say you're tired or sick (and tired) of something because you had too much of it, then you can create new phrasal verbs instead of using an idiom. For instance, if you're tired of Facebook, you could say: I'm Facebooked out. Similarly, if you had too much of some food, say, candy, you could say you're candied out. Check out the following sample.
Excerpt from Heartland, Season 2, Episode 2
As you can see, it is possible for us to use "be + nouns as verbs (in the past) + out" to convey the idea of having had too much of that noun and, as a result, being sick (and tired) of it.
Verbs can also be used in the same way. Check this out:
Excerpts from Modern Family, Season 8, Episode 22
What does "cry out" mean exactly? According to Cambridge Dictionary, it means to shout or make a loud noise because you are frightened, hurt, etc: She cried out in pain as the bullet grazed her shoulder. Merriam-Webster, on the other hand, goes even further: to speak in a loud voice - to say something loudly or from a distance (e.g., We could hear them on the shore crying out to us, so we waved). Another definition, also by Merriam-Webster, categorizes "cry out" as a phrasal verb used to say that something clearly needs or should have a particular thing, person, use, etc. (e.g., A chair like this cries out to be used, not kept in some museum.; The meal cried out for a nice white wine.)
Nevertheless, what Phil meant by being "all cried out" or having cried (it all) out was that not only did he put it out of his system, but he did it completely. He cried so much that he was tired of it, and there were no tears left.
How to Understand "OUT" in Different Contexts
My point here in this post is to show you why it is reasonable for "out" to convey both meanings and, more importantly, how these meanings are connected. The sooner you internalize this, the easier it will be for you to understand and use constructions with "out" more naturally.
If you still cannot grasp the idea, think about a circle and an arrow going from the center to the outside of that circle. Try to see and think of it as: outside, complete, finished, all the way. The four, altogether.
Just like the example above, "laugh" follows suit. So, you can either laugh out loud or laugh it all out. In other words, you can use it in two different ways with similar yet different meanings.
A Final Food for Thought
Think about the meaning of "work out" (exercise).
According to Online Etymology Dictionary, the noun workout dates back to 1909, originally meaning a "boxing bout for training," and from 1922 on, we've been using it as exercising in its general sense. Hence, when it comes to exercise, to "work out" means to work (train/exercise) until no further work can be done (completely). Interestingly, some think of it as getting work stress out of their system. How awesome is that?
If the coin hasn't dropped yet, ruminate on everything you've just read, and I'm sure you'll eventually get the feeling of what "out" is up to.
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