Green’s Dictionary of Slang

far out adj.2

[with its implication of ‘other-worldliness’ – and thus hallucinogenic drugs – the term became a staple of the white hippie n.2 (3) vocabulary of the 1960s and faded, other than in ironic use, by the 1970s]

(orig. US black) excellent, wonderful, first-rate.

Show quotations
[[US]F. Brown Dead Ringer 25: She was as far out of this world as a Louis Armstrong trumpet ride].
E. Horne in N.Y. Times Mag. 18 Aug. n.p.: For Cool Cats and Far-Out Chicks; Here is a lexicon for do-it-yourself hipsters of the newest in jazz slang. Don’t be an oofus, man. Just dig it!
[US]‘Lord Buckley’ Hiparama of the Classics 9: Now Jack, you may have heard many a far out Jam Session. [Ibid.] 19: Don’t Bug me with the Christian Cats, [...] they ain’t as far out as I is.
[UK]P. Theroux Family Arsenal 188: ‘Far out,’ said Brodie. ‘But ours is bigger, ain’t it?’.
[UK]H.B. Gilmour Pretty in Pink 29: He thinks you’re pretty far out.
[UK]Observer 24 Oct. 29: Dope and acid heads were cool and far out.
[UK]Indep. on Sun. mag. 9 Apr. 16: Hey, honey, dig my far-out John Lennon review.