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Jackson6612 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
a pillar out of upright
3upright
1: the state of being upright : perpendicular <a pillar out of upright>
[M-W's Col. Dic.]
M-W's collegiate dictionary defines out of as:
out of
1 a (1)—used as a function word to indicate direction or movement from within to the outside of <walked out of the room> (2)—used as a function word to indicate a change in quality, state, or form <woke up out of a deep sleep> b (1)—used as a function word to indicate a position or situation beyond the range, limits, or sphere of <out of control> (2)—used as a function word to indicate a position or state away from the usual or expected <out of practice>2—used as a function word to indicate origin, source, or cause <a remarkable colt out of an ordinary mare><built out of old lumber><fled out of fear>3—used as a function word to indicate exclusion from or deprivation of <cheated him out of his savings><out of breath>4—used as a function word to indicate choice or selection from a group <one out of four survived>5—used as a function word to indicate the center of an enterprise or activity <runs her business out of her home>
— out of it
1: not part of a group, activity, or fashion2: in a dazed or confused state
No definition of out of fits in the context of the phrase a pillar out of upright. Then, in what way is out of used in that phrase?
1: the state of being upright : perpendicular <a pillar out of upright>
[M-W's Col. Dic.]
M-W's collegiate dictionary defines out of as:
out of
1 a (1)—used as a function word to indicate direction or movement from within to the outside of <walked out of the room> (2)—used as a function word to indicate a change in quality, state, or form <woke up out of a deep sleep> b (1)—used as a function word to indicate a position or situation beyond the range, limits, or sphere of <out of control> (2)—used as a function word to indicate a position or state away from the usual or expected <out of practice>2—used as a function word to indicate origin, source, or cause <a remarkable colt out of an ordinary mare><built out of old lumber><fled out of fear>3—used as a function word to indicate exclusion from or deprivation of <cheated him out of his savings><out of breath>4—used as a function word to indicate choice or selection from a group <one out of four survived>5—used as a function word to indicate the center of an enterprise or activity <runs her business out of her home>
— out of it
1: not part of a group, activity, or fashion2: in a dazed or confused state
No definition of out of fits in the context of the phrase a pillar out of upright. Then, in what way is out of used in that phrase?
Top answer
I cannot think what they mean. Perpendicular means standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright.
- I cannot think what they mean.
- Perpendicular means standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright.
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5 Answers
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I cannot think what they mean. Perpendicular means standing at right angles to the plane of the horizon : exactly upright.
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Could it mean that the pillar is not vertical as it should be? (As if it were sloping) In that case, it would match the following definition:
used as a function word to indicate a position or state away from the usual or expected <out of practice>
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Hi,
This definition seems to fit. b (1)—used as a function word to indicate a position or situation beyond the range, limits, or sphere of <out of control>
The phrase 'out of upright' is simply used to illustrate how the word 'upright' might be used, ie to describe here a pillar that is not in the usual 'vertical position'.
Clive
This definition seems to fit. b (1)—used as a function word to indicate a position or situation beyond the range, limits, or sphere of <out of control>
The phrase 'out of upright' is simply used to illustrate how the word 'upright' might be used, ie to describe here a pillar that is not in the usual 'vertical position'.
Clive
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"Out of upright" is (obviously) not a common phrase, but it sounds similar to "out of alignment" or "out of order" (in the physical sense, like "These files are out of order. They should be alphabetized.) The pillar should be upright, but it's not.
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Who knew there were so many confusing examples given in dictionaries!
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