shell out

British  

verb

1. informal (adverb) to pay out or hand over (money)

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shell out Idioms  

1. Pay, hand over, as in We had to shell out $1,000 for auto repairs. This expression transfers taking a seed such as a pea or nut out of its pod or shell to taking money out of one's pocket. [Colloquial; c. 1800]

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Etymology

Origin of shell out

C19: from _shell (in the sense: to remove from a pod or (figuratively) a purse)

Example Sentences

Buffett was known for keeping enough cash on the sidelines that he could take advantage of opportunities as they arose, but he wouldn’t just shell out cash for just any name.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Some shell out tens of thousands of dollars for consultants as early as junior high.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Now could you be asked to shell out even more to compensate for rising fuel costs?

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

They have had to shell out thousands of dollars for repairs, including replacing the washing machine and dishwasher, Conrad said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

“Thet’s jest exackly what I told Miss Love, son. I said, ‘How many folks is a-go’n shell out for a artermobile when they got a horse and buggy in the barn?’

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns