shell out

verb

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of shell out¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

But they are willing to shell out on hot spots that they consider to be unique experiences.

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That’s a pittance compared to what many Americans shell out if they’re insured through their employer, even accounting for the fact that employer plans tend to be superior in their choices and coverage.

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TORONTO—When the Los Angeles Dodgers shelled out $325 million to lure Yoshinobu Yamamoto from Japan to Southern California, it was reasonable to wonder if they had gone completely crazy.

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Why would they shell out big money to sign another?

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“Executives, especially high-profile ones, don’t want to travel publicly. To be competitive today, you’re going to have to shell out to keep them happy.”

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