Feeling out of sorts is something most of us experience from time to time. Maybe we're a little irritable, a little sad, or just not quite ourselves. But if we're out of sorts, does that mean we can also be in sorts?
The Oxford English Dictionary dates the expression "out of sorts" back to at least 1621, though "sort" itself has been around much longer. It appeared in English in the late 1300s, referring to a kind, species, or variety of people or things. It could also refer to someone's character or rank.
There was an earlier meaning of "sort" that was connected to the Latin word for "fate" or "fortune." That meaning eventually fell out of use during the Renaissance, around the same time "out of sorts" began appearing. It's not entirely clear whether the expression originally suggested a lack of quality or a lack of good fortune.
Today, being "out of sorts" generally means we're not in our usual good spirits. It can mean feeling irritable or peevish, or simply feeling a little off. The expression has been relatively popular since the late 1800s, with a resurgence over the past couple of decades. We're particularly likely to say we're "feeling" out of sorts, or that we're "a little" out of sorts.
While there's no real equivalent of being "in sorts," there are a few other expressions built around "sort." The phrase "in a sort" once meant "in a particular way," while "of sorts" can suggest something that's only approximately what it's supposed to be, such as "a celebration of sorts."
The next time you're feeling out of sorts, you might try saying that you're feeling "owly." Professor Anne Curzan heard about this Canadian/Midwestern U.S. expression while listening to the podcast A Way With Words. For more on "owly" and some of the other ways we use "sort," listen to the audio above.
