out of bounds
/ˌaʊt əv ˈbaʊndz
/1Outside the part of a sports field or court in which play is conducted: he hit his third shot out of bounds at the 17th...
- She then appeared to lose a step, dropping four straight games during a stretch when she double-faulted three times and saw her long ground strokes carry out of bounds on the clay court.
- Instead, the former quarterback sprinted all the way back across the field and out of bounds right at the first-down marker.
- He blocked a shot out of bounds and lobbied for possession.
2Outside the limits of where one is permitted to be: his kitchen was out of bounds to me at mealtimes...
- The Bellary Road, which has been earmarked for the parking of VIP vehicles, has become a restricted area, out of bounds to other commuters.
- The main car park at the 900-acre Bishop Wood, near Selby, is now out of bounds to motorists.
- A quarter of the playground is still out of bounds to children until resurfacing work, at an estimated cost of £1, 000, is carried out.
Synonyms
off limits, restricted, reserved, closed off;
forbidden, banned, proscribed, vetoed, interdicted, ruled out, not allowed, not permitted, illegal, illicit, unlawful, impermissible, not acceptable, taboo;
German verboten
informal no go
rare non licet
2.1Beyond what is acceptable: Paul felt that this conversation was getting out of bounds...
- For him, all personal experience is grist to the writer's mill; nothing is taboo or out of bounds.
- For the busy lady this posed something of a nightmare as sandwiches were forbidden and a nice plate of pasta with sauce was out of bounds.
- There's something fantastically liberating in the licence she gives you to laugh at subjects usually out of bounds.
See parent entry: bound