also: でかけ
noun
on the point of going out; about to leave
Used with に to indicate the moment just before departure. Often appears in phrases like 出掛けに.
See also: お出掛け
出掛けに電話が鳴った。
The phone rang just as I was about to leave.
出掛けのところで雨が降り出した。
It started raining just when I was on the point of going out.
noun
just after leaving; while on the way
Also used with に to refer to the moment right after departure or during the early part of an outing. Less common than sense 1.
出掛けに忘れ物に気づいた。
I realized I had forgotten something just after leaving.
Alternate spelling with okurigana がけ instead of 掛け.
Irregular okurigana usage; reading でかけ is less common.
Polite prefix お added; often used as a noun meaning 'outing' or 'going out' in a more general sense, not limited to the moment of departure.
Compound of 出 (de, 'going out') + 掛け (kake, continuative form of 掛ける, 'to be about to'). Literally 'about to go out'.