English Phrase of the Day

Definitions

English > English
out of control
1. prep. Not under control.
The economy is out of control and is headed for a crash.
2. prep. Not in control of one's actions.
Your children are completely out of control. Can you stop them running around like that?
Analysis
out		©
See also individual phrasal verbs such as come out, go out, put out, take out, pull out, and so on.
1. adv. Away from the inside or the centre.
The magician pulled the rabbit out of the hat.
2. adv. Away from home or one's usual place.
Let's eat out tonight
of		©
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion.
2. prep.          (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off".
3. prep.          (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.).
4. prep.          From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.).
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage.
control		©
1. v. To exercise influence over; to suggest or dictate the behavior of.
With a simple remote, he could control the toy truck.
2. v. (transitive, statistics) (construed with for) To design (an experiment) so that the effects of one or more variables are reduced or eliminated.
3. n. Influence or authority over something.
The government has complete control over the situation.

Example Sentences

If your brother won't cooperate, sectioning is the only option, otherwise his condition is likely to spiral out of control, leaving him a danger to himself, if not to others.  My handlebars get out of control.  This funding mess gives the impression of a department that is out of control and a secretary of state who is making up policy on the hoof.  According to police reports, her car careened out of control and smashed into a tree instantly killing her.

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