IdiomDaily LifeEnglish

odd man out

Meaning: The person who is left out; the person who doesn't fit in.

Example: “With five of us and two tandem bikes, I was the odd man out.”

Origin: From games and tossing coins in which one person from a group is left over or eliminated because their result differs from the rest. The phrase is recorded from the 19th century.

More idioms — Daily Life

  • odds and ends Small items that are left over, don't match, or are missing a mate.
  • off the beaten path Off the road or way that is most often chosen by other people.
  • off the cuff Without much advance preparation; spontaneously.
  • old-boy network The male connections that a man acquires, usually while in college or the military, later…
  • old fuddy-duddy A person who is old-fashioned and not open to new technology or ideas.
  • old hat Old-fashioned, or so familiar as to be boring.

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