spell out

British  

verb

1. to make clear, distinct, or explicit; clarify in detail

   let me spell out the implications

2. to read laboriously or with difficulty, working out each word letter by letter

3. to discern by study; puzzle out

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spell out Idioms  

1. Make plain, clarify, as in We asked her to spell out her objectives . [c. 1940]

2. Read slowly and laboriously, as in He was only six but he managed to spell out the instructions . [Early 1800s]

3. Puzzle out, manage to understand with some effort, as in It took years before anyone could spell out the inscriptions on the Rosetta Stone . [Late 1600s] All three usages transfer spell in the sense of “proceed letter by letter.”

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Example Sentences

When he shared these photos on social media, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers followed suit: "Our eyes say a lot. There's no need to even spell out the things we have seen or done."

From BBC

If you think a cruise line has no right to bump you, think again: It’s all spelled out in the details of your passenger contract.

From MarketWatch

“It may be a good idea to draft a domestic partnership agreement with an attorney that spells out the legal and financial responsibilities of each partner and how you would split anything jointly owned.”

From MarketWatch

Madueke has taken advantage of two spells out injured for Saka this season to make a strong impression in his debut season with the Gunners and in England's impressive World Cup qualifying campaign.

From Barron's

The case has thrown up all sorts of difficult questions, and some of them have been spelled out by Herbert Reul, the interior minister in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

From BBC

Related Words

• define
• describe
• expound
• illustrate
• justify
• point out