It means when the police are out of their depth, which is always, they consult me.
(つまり、警察が行き詰まった時--いつものことだが--彼らは僕に助言を求める、ということさ。)
BBCドラマ「シャーロック」エピソード1 "A Study in Pink" より。自分の職業を世界で唯一の consulting detective(諮問探偵)だと告げるホームズ。ワトスンにどういう意味か聞かれてこう答える。
- out of one's depth =「理解できない、お手上げ、力が及ばない」(beyond one's knowledge or ability to cope ※cope:物事に対処する/to be involved in a situation or activity that is too difficult for someone to understand or deal with/involved in something th--at is beyond one's capabilities)
- I felt completely out of my depth at the meeting.
- You know, you are really out of your depth in this project.
- I am sure I am out of my depth in organic chemistry.
- When Ruth started talking about the differences between the databases, I knew I was out of my depth.
- He felt totally out of his depth in his new job.
- out of の部分を beyond としても同じ意味で使える。
- Poor John was involved in a problem that was really beyond his depth.
(DVDはリージョン違いなのでご注意を!)