out of practice
Not having done something in a long time, and no longer skillful as a result. Wow, I haven't swung a bat in 10 years—I'm out of practice! I wanted to play songs on the guitar for my brother's wedding, but I was too out of practice.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*out of practice
performing poorly due to a lack of practice. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; go ~.) I used to be able to play the piano extremely well, but now I'm out of practice. The baseball players lost the game because they were out of practice.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
out of practice
No longer used to doing something, no longer adept for lack of doing something, as in
Mom hadn't baked a cake in years-she said she was out of practice. [Late 1800s] Also see
in practice.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ˌin/ˌout of ˈpractice
having practised/having not practised a skill regularly for a period of time: I’ve got to keep in practice if I’m going to win this race. ♢ I haven’t played the piano for a while so I’m a bit out of practice.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017