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The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » out of joint
out of joint
out of joint idiom
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Dislocated, as in Trying to break his fall, he put his shoulder out of joint. [Late 1300s]
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See nose out of joint.
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Out of order, inauspicious or unsatisfactory, as in The entire lineup of our team is out of joint. Shakespeare had this term in Hamlet (1:5): “The time is out of joint.” [Early 1400s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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