beyond the pale

1. Totally unacceptable: “His business practices have always been questionable, but this last takeover was beyond the pale.” The Pale in Ireland was a territorial limit beyond which English rule did not extend.

Idioms and Phrases

Outside the bounds of morality, good behavior or judgment; unacceptable. For example, She thought taking the boys to a topless show was beyond the pale . The noun pale , from the Latin palum , meant “a stake for fences” or “a fence made from such stakes.” By extension it came to be used for an area confined by a fence and for any boundary, limit, or restriction, both of these meanings dating from the late 1300s. The pale referred to in the idiom is usually taken to mean the English Pale , the part of Ireland under English rule, and therefore, as perceived by its rulers, within the bounds of civilization.

Example Sentences

“It’s so fundamentally, outrageously beyond the pale of how this country has worked that it’s hard to articulate how insane it is.”

From Salon

Virat Kohli occasionally went beyond the pale as skipper, but he was passionate about Test cricket and passionate about winning - an attitude that seeped into the team.

From BBC

"This is completely beyond the pale. I mean, you don't do this," he said.

From BBC

“To commit illegal unfair labor practices is beyond the pale and won’t be tolerated by SAG-AFTRA members. Formosa will be held accountable, starting with an immediate strike of League of Legends.”

From Los Angeles Times

“The description of inaction by jail staff that led to this in-custody death is beyond the pale,” said Aaron Fischer, one of a group of lawyers suing the county over the lack of proper healthcare services being provided to people in San Diego County jails.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• banned
• outlawed
• prohibited
• tabu
• unthinkable