English

Alternative forms

• out-of-the-box (especially in attributive use)

Prepositional phrase

out of the box

1. Used other than as an idiom: See out of, the, box.
2. (idiomatic, of a product) Immediate(ly), without intervention from the customer.

   This software has to work out of the box, without any fancy installation.

3. (idiomatic) Outside the box; unconventional(ly): outside the limits of conventional thinking.
   • 2004, Deborrah Himsel, Leadership Sopranos Style: How to Become a More Effective Boss, Kaplan Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7931-8150-6, page 135:

     He started out with the rather obvious alternative of talking to Junior; Hesh’s scheme was more imaginative; and Tony’s idea of torching the restaurant really is out of the box.

   • 2005, John Campbell Self, Faeries’ Dance, Cupid’s Dream, iUniverse, ISBN 978-0-595-36051-2, page 16:

     Mom and dad didn’t have a ready answer to Mort’s out of the box idea, but Mickey did.

   • 2007, Allan Wolf, Zane's Trace, Candlewick Press, ISBN 978-0-7636-2858-1, page 63:

     She: You’re not trying to think out of the box!

Usage notes

• In the sense "unconventionally", outside the box is more frequently used, more than three to one in the US, perhaps to avoid confusion with the other sense of "out of the box". Also used is "outside of the box".

Synonyms

• (unconventionally): laterally, outside the box, outside of the box, OOTB

Translations

Related terms

• knock out of the box