spell it out

English

Verb

spell it out (third-person singular simple present spells it out, present participle spelling it out, simple past and past participle spelled it out or (mostly UK) spelt it out)

1. (intransitive) To provide a simple and understandable explanation.

   I'm sorry but I can't spell it out for you, because the whole issue is not that simple.

2. (intransitive) To be explicit, to provide even the obvious details.
   • 1980 December 13, Pat M. Kuras, “Giving The Reasons Why Some Women Kill”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 21, page 15:

     The reading public may have difficulty getting past Jones's editorializing. As an example, at one point in the book, Jones declared that […] If the reader has been following Jones's book at all, s/he should be able to pick up that point without having Jones spell it out so blatantly.

   Let me spell it out for you: you are not welcome here.

   This marriage is over, do I have to spell it out?

Synonyms

• (provide explanation): explain, explicate
• (be explicit): rub it in
• spell things out