in the next world—is used of a state of existence after death:
- Priests performed many ceremonies to help the dead person on his journey to a happy life in the next world.
in the second world —(hist.) in countries like Brazil, India, Russia, Vietnam and Malaysia that simultaneously have both first and third world characteristics:
- Everybody in the “second world” and “third world” wants to live like people in the “first world.”
Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase out of this world—
1. out of touch with reality; unaware of the latest ideas, etc.:
- The general atmosphere of living “out of this world” and “twenty years or so behind the rest of civilization” still hangs in there.
2. very strange or bizarre:
- They are working on advanced flying machines that might look “out of this world” to an uninformed observer.
3. (of prices) exorbitant; unrealistic:
- We liked the house very much, but the price they asked for it was out of this world.
4. (coll.) excellent; superb:
- We think you’re out of this world as a cook. Absolutely lovely grub.
5. (of prices) absurdly low:
- Those qualities add up to out of this world prices for what wine experts say might be a little taste of heaven.
See also: in another world / on other worlds.