1 A2 neutral
To transfer a liquid from a container by tilting or directing it outward.
"She poured out two cups of tea and handed one to her guest."
separable
pour out
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To release liquid from a container, or to express feelings or information freely and completely.
In plain English
To empty liquid out of something, or to tell someone everything you're feeling inside.
What does "pour out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To express one's deepest feelings, troubles, or thoughts freely and at length.
"He sat down with his diary and poured out everything he had been feeling for months."
“
I poured out my heart to him every evening.
— Winston Churchill, quoted in biographical accounts of his relationship with his wife Clementine
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
For a large number of people or things to emerge rapidly from a place.
"Workers poured out of the factory gates at the end of the shift."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Liquid flowing out from inside a container — the emotional sense maps directly onto this image of releasing something held inside.
Actually means
To empty liquid out of something, or to tell someone everything you're feeling inside.
Usage tip
The literal sense (pouring a drink) is extremely common in everyday life. The figurative emotional sense is also widely used and not considered overly formal. 'Pour out your heart/soul' is a fixed collocation. Note that 'pour your heart out' is always separable.
Words that pair with "pour out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
heart soul feelings grief tea coffee story troubles
How to conjugate "pour out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pour out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pours out
he/she/it
Past simple
poured out
yesterday
Past participle
poured out
have + pp
-ing form
pouring out
continuous
Hear "pour out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pour out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "pour out"
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Keep exploring
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