[Grammar] OUTSIDE OF

[EverLivingPoet]

can anyone tell me difference between "outside" and "outside of"? thanks!

 

[emsr2d2]

In British English at least, "outside" on its own is used for physical location:

I am standing outside the bank.

"Outside of" would be used when explaining that something does not fall within another group, for instance:

Outside of the main banking system, there is no safe way to transfer money around the world.

 

[sunsunmoon]

Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary
outside of
chiefly US : outside
▪ We waited outside of the store. ▪ We live outside of the city. ▪ people outside of the group ▪ Nobody knew outside of a few close friends.

 

[riquecohen]

This AmE-speaker finds emsr2d2's separate explanations more convincing than the all-inclusive definition from the Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary. I have rarely heard "outside of" used in relation to a place.

 

[SoothingDave]

There is Mark Twain's quip:

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read.

 

[sunsunmoon]

outside of
apart from
There was nothing they could do, outside of hoping things would get better.