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Meaning & use

out of order sign

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌaʊt əv ˈɔːdə ˌsaɪn/
US/ˌaʊt əv ˈɔːrdər ˌsaɪn/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A notice put on a machine, toilet, or door to show that it is not working or cannot be used.

    Grammar: Countable: hang an out of order sign, not 'hang out of order sign'.

    Patterns

    • put up an out of order sign
    • hang an out of order sign on something
    • an out of order sign on the door

    Someone had taped an out of order sign to the elevator door.

    The manager put an out of order sign on the coffee machine.

    There was an out of order sign on the toilet, so we used the one upstairs.

  2. nouncountable

    A printed board or poster with the words 'out of order' on it.

    Grammar: Refers to the physical object itself, not the message; often with 'printed' or 'plastic'.

    Patterns

    • a printed out of order sign
    • a laminated out of order sign

    We keep spare out of order signs behind the front desk.

    The laminated out of order sign had faded in the sun.

Word forms

pluralout of order signs

Common combinations

put up an out of order sign
Please put up an out of order sign before you leave.
hang an out of order sign on something
He hung an out of order sign on the washing machine.
take down an out of order sign
The plumber took down the out of order sign once the tap was fixed.
an out of order sign on the door
There's an out of order sign on the door of the second cubicle.
a temporary out of order sign
A temporary out of order sign was stuck over the ticket machine.

Synonyms and how they differ

notice
A general word for any written announcement; a notice can give any message, while an out of order sign says specifically that something is broken.
label
A small piece of paper or plastic attached to an object; it is usually for information, not a warning that something does not work.

Word family

out of order phrase
Not working or not following the correct sequence.
sign noun
A board or notice that gives information or a warning.

Commonly confused: out of order sign or out of order?

out of order sign vs out of order

'Out of order' describes the broken thing itself; the 'sign' is only the notice that tells people about it.

Practice

Complete the sentence: The technician ___ an out of order sign on the printer.

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