Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) obtaining goods by ordering them from a shopkeeper, whose bill will never be paid.

1812		Vaux Memoirs in McLachlan (1964) 82: Lest the reader should be unprovided with a cant dictionary, I shall briefly explain in succession: viz., the order-racket [...] Obtaining goods from a tradesman by false pretences, or by a forged order in writing.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

1. of events, behaviour or people, unacceptable, excessive, in bad taste.

1856		Bell’s Life in Sydney 19 Jan. 2/7: Little Miss Nelson (Benjamin's daughter) deeming Mary out of order in this proceeding [i.e. servants drinking instead of working], observed that she should ‘tell her Mar’ .
[1891		H.B. Marriott-Watson Web of the Spider 336: I think [...] that you were a little out when you called the girl a spitfire].
1935		Z.N. Hurston Mules and Men (1995) 159: Peter looked at him and tole ’im to g’wan ’way from dere. He was too powerful. He might git outa order and there wouldn’t be nobody to handle ’im.
1977		G.F. Newman A Prisoner’s Tale 112: I mean, I knew I was well out of order whacking Mr Evans like that—.
1982		J. Sullivan ‘It Never Rains’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] Have you done anything remotely out of order?
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 89: They realised they’d been a little out of order and apologised.
1993		G. Disher Deathdeal [ebook] ‘What do you want? It’s out of order, coming here’.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 146: Squeal the screws on some aggravation up the recess or bit of crack on visits, well out of order.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 166: Not that I dont expect Uncle to be late. Even well late, like out-of-order late.
2013		K. Sampson Killing Pool 97: Billy, you’re bang out of order freelancing like it like this.

2. (US teen) menstruating.

1970

Current Sl. V:3.

an excessive or extreme demand.

1891		Tit-Bits 8 Aug. 274/1: In asking me to tell you about my clients and their wills, you give a pretty large order [F&H].
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Aug. 12/3: Mr. Foxton remarked that the stopping of Australian public spitting was a decidedly ‘large order.’.
1900		Marvel XIII:333 Mar. 13: Rather a tall order – that of snuffing the atmosphere!
1908		Sporting Times 29 Feb. 3/5: The burglars are mistaken for guests in fancy dress, a tall order, but a good peg on which to hang the subsequent comicalities.
1914		C. Holme Lonely Plough (1931) 71: That’s a big order, surely!
1920		‘Sapper’ Bulldog Drummond 228: I say, that’s a bit of a tall order, isn’t it, Mr. Rum Bar?
1930		J. Lait Gangster Girl 4: They let the [...] trimmers muscle for them, put over the tall orders, slaughter one another and get peanuts for their pay.
1939		K. Tennant Foveaux 315: Rather a tall order these days. Like looking for a lost ha’penny at the mint.
1948		‘Josephine Tey’ Franchise Affair (1954) 152: ‘Just like that,’ he said, commenting on this simple statement of a tall order.
1950		A. Christie Murder Is Announced (1958) 71: Rather a tall order.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 86: ‘When you have had something to eat and rested a little I want you to tell me all about yourself. Every word.’ ‘A tall order.’.
1976		N. Thornburg Cutter and Bone (2001) 265: All he wanted was [...] a little silence, if Cutter thought he could manage such a tall order.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 178: They never got me walking, tall order maybe.
2000		Guardian G2 18 Feb. 18: But it’s a tall one.
2000		G.V. Higgins At End of Day (2001) 183: Think you can [...] get by without the money you’re gettin’ from the hoodlums [...] Tall order, son, mighty tall order.