out of one's league

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

out of one's league

1. In a situation in which one is mismatched with one or more others whose accomplishments, preparedness, or other characteristics are on a significantly higher or lower level than one's own.
   • 1987, Patrick Swayze, Stacy Widelitz (lyrics and music), “She's Like the Wind”, performed by Patrick Swayze:

     Feel her breath in my face / Her body close to me / Can't look in her eyes / She's out of my league

   • 2008 June 3, Laura Collins-Hughes, “Neil LaBute Finds Reasons To Be Nice”, in New York Sun‎ (theatre review), archived from the original on 5 June 2008:

     He has an unwitting instructor in his cocky, bullying co-worker and pal, Kent (Pablo Schreiber), a slimeball whose knockout wife, Carly (Piper Perabo), is way out of his league.

2. Out of one's depth; in a situation which one is poorly prepared to handle.

   These questions are out of my league, please let me ask a higher-up.

   • 1964 May 15, “Also Current (book reviews)”, in Time‎, archived from the original on 2012-03-07:

     Most U.S. authors trying to depict European sophistication seem indefinably out of their league, like children sashaying around in grown-up shoes.

3. Too good or too expensive for one.

   An expensive car is out of your league right now, don't you think?

• out of one's depth
• beyond one's depth
• beyond one's scope

• outkick one's coverage