out of control
out of control
1. Without response to manual direction or input. The machine started spinning out of control.
2. Reckless or wild; in an unruly or unmanageable state or manner. I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. I had too much to drink and got a little out of control. The real estate market in this city is totally out of control.
See also: control, of, out
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
*out of control
1. Lit. [of something, such as a machine] not responding to direction or instructions. (*Typically: be ~; go ~.) The computer is out of control and making funny-looking characters all over the screen. My CD player is out of control and only makes screeching noises.
2. and *out of hand Fig. acting wildly or violently. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) Watch out, that dog is out of control. The kids got out of hand again.
See also: control, of, out
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
out of control
Also, out of hand. No longer under management, direction, or regulation; unmanageable or unruly. For example, Housing costs are out of control, or The children were getting out of hand again. The first term uses control in the sense of "restraint," a usage dating from the late 1500s; the variant uses hand in the sense of "power" or "authority," and dates from the late 1800s.
See also: control, of, out
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- be out of control
- be, get, etc. out of control
- get out of control
- out of hand
- run amuck
- run wild
- amok
- amuck
- amuk
- go amok