From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspell something ↔ out phrasal verb1 EXPLAINto explain something clearly and in detailspell out how/what etc The report spelled out in detail what the implications were for teacher training.2 SAY/STATEto show how a word is spelled by writing or saying the letters separately in order ‘W-E-I-R, ’ she said, spelling it out.3 WRITEto write a word in its complete form instead of using an abbreviation → spell→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
spell out• If at all unsure, ask caller to spell it out. 3.• The Minister has a responsibility to spell that out.• Worse still, he/she perhaps never articulates them at all unless he/she expects to have to spell them out.• I spelled them out for you, and you agreed.• We needn't spell the five out here, or even understand them.• He knew he had to spell their future out to her - it was only fair.• Should she spell it out to him, or would that fatally overplay her hand?• With people we know, rather than spell everything out, we rely on shared understandings to facilitate the problem of communicating.spell out how/what etc• McAllister spelled out what's needed to start plugging the 11-point gap between themselves and leaders Norwich.• The document spells out how the center will be managed and operated.• Let me spell out what the commission's report is supposed to do.• To spell out how the concept works, plans for care management in Southwark's mental health services are described.• The Minister will not spell out what the Secretary of State is likely to find satisfactory.• He issued a passionate plea to Labour and the Conservatives to spell out what they would do in a hung Parliament.• The Chronicle stories spelled out how Upjohn tried to discredit both consumers and doctors who complained about dangerous side effects.• He tries to spell out how we do it. 