Date: Thu, 9 May 1996 17:41:27 -0500

From: Natalie Maynor maynor[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]RA.MSSTATE.EDU

Subject: Re: out-of-pocket



The only use of out-of-pocket in my active vocabulary is to refer to

expenses incurred in the course of doing the boss's job for which an

employee may or may not receive reimbursement. In other words, a gift or



With this meaning, I find that it's usually in an attributive slot,

preceding a noun like "expenses." In my experience, "out of pocket"

as a predicate adjective nearly always refers to a person and means

something like "not around at the moment."

--Natalie (maynor[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ra.msstate.edu)