off the reservation
The phrase 'off the reservation' has a controversial history rooted in Native American experiences but is now used metaphorically to describe deviation from expected behavior or norms.
Definition
C1General
(idiomatic, informal)Acting in a way that is unexpected or not in line with established rules.
Example
- His comments during the meeting were completely off the reservation.
C1Politics
(idiomatic, informal)Breaking away from one's political party or group, usually temporarily.
Example
- The senator went off the reservation by voting against the party's stance on the bill.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "off the reservation":
go off the reservationoff the trackoff the railsoff the gridoff the chainoff baseout of boundsout of line