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Glite Dictionary
out of service

out of service

15 3.5
Not working or available to use, often for a short time
  • idiom
translation icon : fuera de servicio
  • The number you have reached is temporarily out of service.
  • taken out of service
  • tank out of service

Examples

  • Some of the equipment, Weinstein said, had already been taken out of service for repairs before the storm.

    Blog text (28)

  • There was an out-of-service sign on the elevator.

    That Cold Day in the Park (1969)

  • The number seems to be out of service.

    Code of Silence (1985)

  • I called her, but her phone was out of service.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • This elevator is out of service.

    Deep Rising (1998)

  • Oh, and the elevator is temporarily out of service.

    Garfield Gets Real (2008)

  • The choppers are all busy or out of service.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Several plants in the region are already out of service for regularly scheduled refueling and maintenance outages.

    Blog text (19)

  • Verizon is providing credits for landline customers who have reported an out-of-service condition related to Hurricane Sandy.

    Blog text (23)

  • This elevator is out of service and cannot be used until further notice.

Synonyms

down
vsout of service
  • Specialized
547 2.9

Not working because of a fault or repair

stresses temporary unavailability rather than general inactivity
unavailable
vsout of service
81 3.4

Not able to be used, reached, or bought

is specifically about temporary lack of availability for use
out of order
vsout of service
28 2.1

Not working so you cannot use it, like a machine or toilet

focuses more on temporary unavailability than on breakage
off
vsout of service
8 1.0

Not working or operating

focuses specifically on temporary unavailability for use
inoperable
vsout of service
7 7.1

You cannot use it because it does not work

is milder, often indicating temporary unavailability rather than incapacity
nonfunctional
vsout of service
3 4.4

Not working or broken

is more about temporary unavailability than permanent uselessness
nonoperational
vsout of service
1 4.6

Not working or currently not in use

adds that this state is often temporary rather than permanent
unserviceable
vsout of service
1 7.4

Cannot be used because it is broken or damaged

implies temporary unavailability rather than permanent unfitness
nonworking
vsout of service
3.9

Not operating or being used

highlights that the lack of use is often temporary
non-operating
vsout of service
4.9

Not working now or not part of the main business activities

implies temporary absence from use rather than permanent removal
unworking
vsout of service
5.9

Broken or not in use

places more emphasis on being temporarily unavailable for use

Antonyms

operational
102 4.1

Working and ready to use, for example machines or systems

in-service
12 3.7

A machine used now in regular service, for example a bus

How Operational

working
1.0
functioning
3 3.1
off-line
  • Specialized
2 3.1
out of service
15 3.5

Surface Forms

out of service positive

Morphology

out + of + service

The meaning is directly compositional: 'out of' conveys absence or not being in something and 'service' refers to operation or availability, so together they yield 'not in service / not working'. This is a common, regular English construction with close equivalents in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase out of service comes from the simple image of a machine, bus, or elevator that has been taken out of service for repair and has a sign on it. So it means 'not working' or 'not available for use'.