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*out of sorts

not feeling well; grumpy and irritable. (*Typically: be ~; feel ~; get ~.) I've been out of sorts for a day or two. I think I'm coming down with something. The baby is out of sorts. Maybe she's getting a new tooth.

See also: out

something of sorts

an inferior example of a kind of something. Well, it's a solution of sorts, I suppose. It was a novel of sorts, but not what I'd ever have chosen.

something of the sort

something of the kind just mentioned. The tree isn't exactly a spruce tree, just something of the sort. Jane has a cold or something of the sort.

in bad sorts

in a bad humor. Bill is in bad sorts today. He's very grouchy. I try to be extra nice to people when I'm in bad sorts.

See also: bad

sort something out 

1. Lit. to sort something; to arrange according to class or category. Let's sort these cards out. Would you please sort out your socks?

2. Fig. to study a problem and figure it out. I can't sort this out without some more time. Let's sort out this mess and settle it once and for all.

See also: out

sort of and kind of

Yes, but only to a small degree. Bob: Do you like what you're doing in school? Alice: Kind of. Henry: What do you think about all these new laws? Do they worry you? John: Sort of.

sort of something and kind of something

almost something; somewhat; somehow. Isn't it sort of cold out? That was kind of a stupid thing to do, wasn't it?

sort oneself out

to pull oneself together; to figure out what to do about one's problems. (Fig. on sort something out {2}.) I need a few days to sort myself out. I need some time to sort myself out.

See also: oneself, out

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be out of sorts

to feel slightly ill or slightly unhappy I'd been feeling tired and headachy and generally out of sorts for some time.

See also: out

It takes all sorts (to make a world).

something that you say which means that all people are different and even strange people should be accepted Now the couple next door, they go swimming in the sea in the middle of winter. Well, it takes all sorts, as they say.

See also: take

separate the sheep from the goats  (British, American & Australian) also sort (out) the sheep from the goats (British & Australian)

to choose the people or things of high quality from a group of mixed quality I'll look through the application forms and separate the sheep from the goats.

See also: goat, separate, sheep

separate/sort out the men from the boys

if a difficult situation or activity separates the men from the boys, it shows which people in a group are brave and strong and which are not You have to survive outdoors for three days and three nights. That should separate the men from the boys.

See also: boy, men, out, separate

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of a sort

having some but not all of the characteristics of something Officials portrayed the meetings as progress of a sort, although the bargaining has not yet begun.

Usage notes: used after a noun being described, as in the example

out of sorts

in an unhappy mood He was feeling a little tired and sore and out of sorts.

Related vocabulary: get up on the wrong side of (the) bed

See also: out

sort something out also sort out something

to deal successfully with a problem or a situation We know that our boys have gotten into trouble with the law, but our family is working on sorting it out. Detectives are still sorting out who was involved in the crime.

Usage notes: often in the form sort things out: We haven't had many chances to talk to each other and sort things out.

See also: out

sort of

to some degree kind of It seemed to be sort of a cross between an oyster and a mushroom.

Usage notes: sometimes used to show that you are not certain about something: I'm sort of at an age where I just want things to be a little more orderly.