Question: She's Out of My Life
Feb 03rd 2012 23:28
question
I learned an idiom “be out of someone’s life” from a tweet made by a friend of mine today. She said it meant the subject was gone, so someone’s life would be better. This idiom reminded her of a song that Michael Jackson sang: “She’s out of my life.” She tweeted “Do the lyrics have such a meaning?” When I read her tweet, I had the same feeling.
Here’s a link to the song:
I will quote the first verse from the lyrics of it:
She's Out Of My Life
She's Out Of My Life
And I Don't Know Whether To Laugh Or Cry
I Don't Know Whether To Live Or Die
And It Cuts Like A Knife
She's Out Of My Life
I think the sentence “She’s out of my life” means that “she has gone from my life, so I feel sad.”
I use an Internet dictionary, ALC Eijiro, and it says like these:
out of your life
1. 〔不要な物・人などが〕自分の人生から追い［放り］出されて
something or someone you don’t need any more is got rid of your life
2. 〔不要な物・人などが〕いなくなってすっきりして
something or someone you don’t need any more has gone, so you feel better
This idiom has these meanings, however, in this case, neither of them isn’t applied to this song title, I presume.
I wonder how I should use this idiom. Would you give me some sentences using this idiom?
Here’s a link to the song:
I will quote the first verse from the lyrics of it:
She's Out Of My Life
She's Out Of My Life
And I Don't Know Whether To Laugh Or Cry
I Don't Know Whether To Live Or Die
And It Cuts Like A Knife
She's Out Of My Life
I think the sentence “She’s out of my life” means that “she has gone from my life, so I feel sad.”
I use an Internet dictionary, ALC Eijiro, and it says like these:
out of your life
1. 〔不要な物・人などが〕自分の人生から追い［放り］出されて
something or someone you don’t need any more is got rid of your life
2. 〔不要な物・人などが〕いなくなってすっきりして
something or someone you don’t need any more has gone, so you feel better
This idiom has these meanings, however, in this case, neither of them isn’t applied to this song title, I presume.
I wonder how I should use this idiom. Would you give me some sentences using this idiom?
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> This can be good or bad
I see. I think the dictionary that I used was not perfect.
Your comment was really helpful!
I use an Internet dictionary, ALC Eijiro, and it says like these:
something or someone you don’t need any more is got rid of your life
something or someone you don’t need any more has left, so you feel better
"She's finally out of my life. The divorce took 5 years to settle."
"I think he's out of my life for good, now. Seems like he found a new girl."
"I just want you out of my life! Why can't you understand that?? Go!"
Your examples are helpful.
In the first verse, MJ says, "I don't know whether to laugh or cry", which means he doesn't know if it's good or bad. But after the first verse, MJ thinks it's a bad thing.
For me, this means he wants to convince himself that it's a good thing, so he can continue on with his life, but he really wants to be with her.
> For me, this means he wants to convince himself that it's a good thing, so he can continue on with his life, but he really wants to be with her.
I got it. Your explanation helped me understand this song.
For example:
A girlfriend breaks up with her boyfriend, then she can say: I want you out of my life. Go away!!!
Or you can say: I want everything that is bad out of my life.
Basically, it just means you no longer interact with one another on a regular basis, so the other person is no longer a major feature of your life. That can happen for a lot of reasons. Maybe one of you moves out of state. Maybe one of you stops going to the place where you used to always see one another. You used to both go to the same church, but one of you starts going to a different one; or you used to both work out at the gym, but one of you starts playing tennis instead; or you went to physical therapy together, but one of you doesn't need it any more; etc. Maybe you were co-workers, but one of you gets a different job. Sometimes people even start avoiding one another on purpose, due to a personal conflict.
You had a good point. Life has a lot of aspects for all the people and I understood that this idiom had two meanings at last.
I always owe you when I have a trouble on English. Thank you as always!
something or someone you don’t need any more is purged from your life
She was the greatest girl I ever knew, but now she's out of my life forever. (Bad)
It was just one headache after another, but finally she's out of my life forever. (Good)
Your exmaple senteces were really clear. They helped me understand this idiom a lot. Thanks again!
> She was the greatest girl I ever knew, but now she's out of my life forever. (Bad)
Have you had such an experience? ;P
I learned an idiom, to “be out of someone’s life” from a tweet made I got from by a friend of mine today.
She's Out Of My Life Michael Jackson was singing a type of love song, one of doubt or recrimination. His girlfriend has left him, or he has left her. They are now apart.
And I Don't Know Whether To Laugh Or Cry Here, Michael is unsure whether her absence is good, or not. These are familiar doubts when one breaks up with one's lover. I've been there.
I Don't Know Whether To Live Or Die Here he reflects on his remorse for her loss. He wonders if life is worth living without her.
And It Cuts Like A Knife This phrase reflects on the pain of his loss -- it "cuts like a knife."
She's Out Of My Life This song is not a song of celebration -- he is feeling great remorse and loss from the fact his girlfriend is gone.
I think the sentence “She’s out of my life” means that “she has gone from my life, so and I feel sad.” Yes, you're right about that.
something or someone you don’t need any more is got rid of your life I would write is thusly: Someone (referring to "she") has left you or you have left someone so that you are no longer together (that is, out of your life).
something or someone you don’t need any more has gone, so you feel better I would delete the phrase "so you feel better." That is not guaranteed, and one shouldn't draw that conclusion. More often, I think, is a feeling of regret.
Neither of these meanings for this idiom has, however, in this case, neither of them isn’t applied applies to this song title, I presume think.
Would you give me some sentences using this idiom? He/she's gone. He/she's left me. He/she went out of my life. He/she's out of my life.
When a person spends a lot of time with another it can be jarring to split up. Often it is considered the best resolution, but if one has invested a lot of their psyche in the relationship, the absence of the other can haunt them forever.
Much of that feeling can be shown in one sentence:; "I miss him/her."
> Much of that feeling can be shown in one sentence:; "I miss him/her."
It really helped me understand this idiom. Thank you very much.