Beyond the Pale.
English
idiom
So rude or wrong that nobody can accept it.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
So rude or wrong that nobody can accept it.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Completely unacceptable by any normal standard.
When behavior is beyond the pale, it has not just gone too far — it sits outside what anyone would accept.
A pale was a fence marking the edge of a settlement, and beyond it the community's rules no longer applied.
"Hit Below the Belt"
—
Attack someone unfairly in a sensitive spot
"Rub Someone the Wrong Way"
—
Bother someone without meaning much by it
"Beyond the Pale"
—
Outside the boundary of acceptable behavior entirely
That comment about her health was beyond the pale.
You're right. I'll deal with it today.
People are overreacting to what he said.
I don't think so — that was beyond the pale.
Did I go too far in the meeting?
One line was beyond the pale. Apologize and move on.
