out of one's depth

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English

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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out of one's depth

  1. (literally) In water so deep that one cannot stand and may be at risk of drowning. [1]
  2. (figuratively, idiomatic) In a situation which one is poorly prepared or unprepared to handle.
    Synonyms: in over one's head, out of one's league
    The team's first game was against the league champions; they were out of their depth and knew it.
    • 2011 October 18, Batman: Arkham City, spoken by Batman (Kevin Conroy), Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, via Rocksteady Studios:
      She doesn’t know Joker, she’s out of her depth. I need to save her.
    • 2024 April 3, Howard Johnston, “Network News: Weak bosses and staff blamed for Crossrail overspend”, in RAIL, number 1006, page 20:
      Weak management and a small team of civil servants who were out of their depth have been roundly blamed for the £4 billion overspend on London's Elizabeth line (Crossrail) and its opening four years late in May 2022.

Translations

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References

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  1. ^ (Please provide the book title or journal name)[1], 2010 May 24 (last accessed), archived from the original on 24 May 2010