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.

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

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

   • 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.

Synonyms

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