Out Of The Question for Dummies

Out Of The Question is a phrase we often use in everyday language to convey that something is simply not possible or not allowed. It's like when you really want to eat a big piece of cake before dinner, but your mom says it's "out of the question." She means that it's absolutely not an option and there's no way you can have that cake before dinner. The phrase is often used when someone is asking for or suggesting something that is completely unreasonable or cannot be done for various reasons.

Let's break it down further. Imagine you have a pile of books to carry, but your hands are already full. Your friend comes up and asks for a hand carrying their books too. You might say, "Sorry, but it's out of the question. There's no way I can physically carry all these books plus yours." In this case, the phrase is indicating that it's impossible for you to do what your friend is asking because you're already maxed out.

However, "out of the question" doesn't only refer to physical limitations. It can also be used to describe things that are not allowed or morally wrong. For example, if your teacher asks the class if cheating on a test is acceptable, and you firmly believe that cheating is wrong, you could say, "Cheating is out of the question!" Here, you're expressing that cheating is something that you completely oppose and find morally unacceptable.

So, in summary, when we say something is "out of the question," we're saying it's not possible, not allowed, or completely unreasonable considering the circumstances. It's a way to express that a particular idea or action is not even worth considering because it goes against what is acceptable or simply cannot be done.