Definition

Verb: 1. To say or write the letters of a word in order: To pronounce or state the individual letters that form a word. 2. To explain something in a very clear, detailed, and simple way: To make something explicit, leaving no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (Meaning 1: Reciting letters):
  • The teacher asked the student to spell out the difficult word.
  • "Could you spell that out for me?" she asked, holding the phone.
• Verb (Meaning 2: Explaining clearly):
  • The contract spells out all the terms and conditions.
  • Let me spell out exactly what I expect from this project.
  • The rules were not implied; they were clearly spelled out in the handbook.

Advanced Usage

• "to spell something out for someone": To explain something to someone as if they know nothing about it, often implying a need for extra patience or clarity.
  • I had to spell the procedure out for the new intern step by step.

Variants and Related Words

• Spell (verb): To write or name the letters of a word in order.
  • Can you spell "necessary"?
• Spelling (noun): The process or skill of writing or naming the letters of a word.
  • His spelling has improved.

Synonyms

• Clarify: To make a statement or situation less confused and more comprehensible.
• Specify: To state something clearly and precisely.
• Enumerate: To mention a number of things one by one.
• Detail: To describe something item by item.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(This word is itself a phrasal verb.)

Related Idioms

• "Dot the i's and cross the t's": To pay great attention to small details to ensure everything is correct and complete. This is similar to "spell out" in its emphasis on thoroughness and precision.
  • Before we sign, we need to dot the i's and cross the t's on the agreement.

Verb

1. orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of
   • How do you spell this word? We had to spell out our names for the police officer
2. spell fully and without abbreviating
   • Can you spell out your middle name instead of just giving the initial?
3. make explicit; specify in detail
   • You should spell out your demands