Spell it out for me

N

nay92

Member
London
English, England
In a recent word forum talk some body said

"Spell it out for me someone."

What does this phrase actually mean. I would have spelled it out to them if i actually knew what it meant!
 
    • It can either mean tell me the letters that compose the word, as in

    -I always have trouble writing the word "secretary." Could you spell it out for me?
    -S-E-C-R-E-T-A-R-Y.

    or it could be used figuratively, as in

    -I tried to send him subtle hints about not arriving late to work, but it didn't seem to work so finally I had to spell it out to him. (i.e. I had to literally tell him not to arrive late.)
     
    You're welcome. It occurs to me that in the first case you use the preposition "for" and in the second case you use "to" so if the person said "for" they probably meant that they wanted to know how to spell a certain word.
     
    elroy said:
    You're welcome. It occurs to me that in the first case you use the preposition "for" and in the second case you use "to" so if the person said "for" they probably meant that they wanted to know how to spell a certain word.
    Click to expand...

    But what if someone had just told you a joke you didn't get. Wouldn't you then say 'I don't get it, spell it out for me' and not 'to me'?
     
    Lemminkäinen said:
    But what if someone had just told you a joke you didn't get. Wouldn't you then say 'I don't get it, spell it out for me' and not 'to me'?
    Click to expand...
    Yes, good point.

    That's why context is important. Nay92, could you give us the context?
     
    I have forgoten what descussion it was in but i knnow know it was the 2nd meaning i was provided with...he was trying to be rude.
     
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