Is it "out of question" or "out of the question"?

Question

Are they used in different contexts?
Those both of them use correct grammar?

Google fight shows that "out of the question" appear 10 times more often than the other.

mplungjan · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-24 09:22:49Z

2

Out of THE question is the correct one in my opinion - I have never used this without the the but then I am not a native speaker.

Some sources mention that "Out of question" is an obsolete way of saying "Beyond doubt"

However we have both

answered Mar 24, 2011 at 8:27

mplungjan

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But why are we using THE here?
– Pratik Deoghare
Commented Mar 24, 2011 at 8:55
1

Good question. Since it is out of character
– mplungjan
Commented Mar 24, 2011 at 9:12
Because "question" is usually a count noun, and so usually requires an article. "Beyond question" is a counter-example, though.
– Colin Fine
Commented Mar 24, 2011 at 12:16
Actually, "beyond question" isn't a counter-example: "beyond" often takes a NP without an article, eg "beyond reach" = "beyond the reach of ... ".
– Colin Fine
Commented Mar 24, 2011 at 13:02

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