ark

ark ruffian

obsolete A criminal who boards and plunders waterborne ships (i.e., arks), usually with the aid of one or more of its crew, sometimes resulting in the murder of its passengers. Aye, but the waters are treacherous these days, and the ark ruffians make even the most placid trip a journey to be wary of.

See also: ark

be out of the ark

To be very outdated or old-fashioned. You can't wear a dress like that, at least until you're 80. Come on, it's clearly out of the ark!

See also: ark, of, out

went out with the ark

humorous Became obsolete. Refers to the Biblical story of Noah, who built an ark (a ship) to save his family and the world's animals when the Earth was destroyed by flood. You're still using a flip phone? I thought those went out with the ark!

See also: ark, out

out of the ark

BRITISH

If something is out of the ark, it is very old-fashioned. He drove a car that was straight out of the ark. Note: You can also say that something went out with the ark. You know tyres are made from oil, they're not made from rubber any more; that went out with the ark. Note: According to the Bible, the ark was the boat in which Noah and his family survived the flood.

See also: ark, of, out

out of the ark

extremely old-fashioned.

The ark referred to is the biblical Noah's ark (Genesis 6–7), in which Noah endeavoured to save his family and two of every kind of animal from the Flood.

See also: ark, of, out

be out of the ˈark

,

went out with the ˈark

(British English, spoken) (of an object or a custom) extremely old or old-fashioned: She was using a dictionary that was straight out of the ark.This idiom refers to a story in the Bible. The ark was a large boat which Noah built to save his family and two of every type of animal from the flood.

See also: ark, of, out

ark

(ɑrk)

n. an old car. Why don’t you get rid of that old ark and get something that’s easier to park?