out of the box
out of the box
1. Of a product, existing or ready to use upon opening; prefabricated; requiring no assembly, installation, modification, etc., by the user or customer. Usually hyphenated when used before a noun. The software is robust enough out of the box that everyday users will find it most of what they need already. The new smartphone boasts some really astounding out-of-the-box features for even the most inexperienced users to play around with.
2. Outside of or beyond what is considered usual, traditional, or conventional. (A less common shortening of "outside (of) the box.") I've been trying to think out of the box for my term paper topic because I know the professor hates unoriginal ideas. OK, team, we need some real out-of-the-box ideas if we want this project to succeed.
See also: box, of, out
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
out of the box
If you buy something such as a computer or software and you can use it out of the box, you can use it immediately. The computer industry has yet to sell a PC which can be used by a novice, straight out of the box. You can, thank goodness, also use Origin straight out of the box.
See also: box, of, out
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
out of the box
unusually good. Australian & New Zealand informalSee also: box, of, out
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- (Someone or something) called, they want their (something) back!
- tomorrow
- a swan song
- bushel
- one rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel
- one rotten apple spoils the (whole) bushel
- rotten apple spoils the barrel
- a bad apple spoils the (whole) barrel
- a rotten apple spoils the (whole) barrel
- a rotten apple spoils the (whole) bunch