Browse all

ship out

B1 neutral separable both
In simple words

To leave by ship or be sent to another place — often used for soldiers going overseas or goods being sent out.

Literal meaning: To depart or send something via a ship.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To be sent overseas on military duty, or to depart for a posting abroad.

"His regiment received orders to ship out to the Middle East within the week."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 neutral

To send goods or products out for delivery or distribution.

"We shipped out over ten thousand units in the first week after the product launch."

Grammar: separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal

(Informal) To leave or be dismissed from a job or position — often used in the phrase 'shape up or ship out'.

"The manager told him bluntly: shape up or ship out."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Has both a military sense (troops shipping out to a combat zone) and a commercial sense (a company shipping out products). The phrase 'shape up or ship out' is a very common idiom meaning 'improve your behaviour or leave'. Chiefly American English in the military sense.

Commonly used with

troops soldiers orders goods products packages overseas

Forms

Base
ship out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ships out
he/she/it
Past simple
shiped out
yesterday
Past participle
shiped out
have + pp
-ing form
shiping out
continuous

Understand "ship out" better

Try:

Real video examples

Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.

Want to master this phrasal verb?

Practice "ship out" on Looplines