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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.

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: all, take

separate the sheep from the goats (British, American & Australian, 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: from, 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, from, men, 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.

get up on the wrong side of (the) bed

sort of

to some degree. 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.

sort something out

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.Medial position of obj. very common--SL, 1/03