out-of-the-way

/ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈweɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈweɪ/ (ame, ipa)

out-of-the-way — 形容詞

1. located a long distance from busy towns, main roads, or popular travel routes, s

1.形容詞B2
釋義

偏僻的

離大城市和主要道路很遠的地方

located a long distance from busy towns, main roads, or popular travel routes, so very few people pass through or visit.

例句

Asher booked a tiny cabin in an out-of-the-way fishing village in northern Maine.

Asher 在緬因州北部一個偏遠的漁村訂了一間小木屋。

attributive use before noun: out-of-the-way + place noun

The temple sits in an out-of-the-way valley three hours from the nearest train station.

那座寺廟坐落在一個偏僻的山谷裡，距離最近的火車站有三個小時車程。

collocation: out-of-the-way + valley / village / spot

同義詞
  • remote

    more formal; commonly used of regions and areas

  • secluded

    emphasises quiet privacy as well as distance

  • off the beaten track

    informal phrase; suggests pleasantly unusual to visit

反義詞
  • central

    easy to reach from main routes

  • accessible

    general antonym; reachable without effort

文法句型

out-of-the-way + noun

be + out-of-the-way

用法筆記

Almost always used attributively before a place noun (village, spot, town, valley). Distinguish from sense 2 by context — sense 1 always describes a physical location.

常見錯誤

❌The village is very out-of-the-way from the city.
✅The village is a long way from the city.
💡'out-of-the-way' is mostly attributive; predicative use sounds awkward without 'rather' or 'a bit'.

2. noticeably different from what is normal or expected; describing facts, ideas, o

2.形容詞C1
釋義

冷門的

一般人很少接觸到的事實或主題

noticeably different from what is normal or expected; describing facts, ideas, or details that you rarely meet in everyday life.

例句

Professor Lan kept asking out-of-the-way questions about Roman coin weights.

Lan 教授一直在問一些冷門的問題，都是關於羅馬硬幣重量的細節。

collocation: out-of-the-way + facts / questions / details

The quiz champion stores hundreds of out-of-the-way facts about old films.

這位益智節目冠軍腦中存了上百個冷門的老電影知識。

同義詞
  • obscure

    stresses being little-known; common in academic writing

  • uncommon

    broader; can describe people and objects as well as ideas

  • esoteric

    stronger; suggests known only to specialists

反義詞

文法句型

out-of-the-way + noun

用法筆記

Subject is usually an abstract noun (fact, detail, subject, topic, question), not a physical thing. Distinguish from sense 1 by what follows: sense 1 modifies place nouns, sense 2 modifies idea / information nouns.

常見錯誤

❌She drives an out-of-the-way car.
✅She drives an unusual car.
💡'out-of-the-way' for 'unusual' applies to ideas or facts, not to objects.

3. describing behaviour or speech that is socially wrong, mildly rude, or crosses a

3.形容詞C2
釋義

失禮的

言行越過社交分寸而被視為不妥

describing behaviour or speech that is socially wrong, mildly rude, or crosses a line that most people would not cross.

例句

Isabela apologised after making an out-of-the-way comment about her colleague's divorce.

Isabela 在對同事的離婚說了一句失禮的話之後，立刻道歉。

collocation: out-of-the-way + remark / comment

Nothing out-of-the-way was said at the dinner, though the topic was sensitive.

雖然話題敏感，但那場晚餐上沒有人說出任何失禮的話。

common negative frame: nothing out-of-the-way

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

out-of-the-way + noun

用法筆記

Mostly appears in negative or restrictive frames ('nothing/anything out-of-the-way'), and almost always describes spoken remarks or behaviour. Distinguish from sense 2 (unusual facts/ideas) — sense 3 carries a clear moral or social judgement.

常見錯誤

❌His outfit was out-of-the-way.
✅His outfit was unusual.
💡sense 3 judges social behaviour or speech, not clothes or objects.