shovel out
B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To use a shovel to remove something, or to spend or give out a large amount of money
Literal meaning: To use a shovel to move material outward from a location — transparent
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To remove material such as snow, dirt, or debris from a place using a shovel
"After the blizzard, it took two hours to shovel out the driveway."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
(Informal) To spend or distribute large amounts of money, often unwillingly
"The company has been shovelling out millions in legal fees since the lawsuit began."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
In the literal sense, most commonly used with snow, manure, or debris. In the figurative sense, used to describe spending or distributing large sums of money, often grudgingly. The money sense is informal and carries a connotation of excess.
Commonly used with
snow manure dirt cash money gravel debris
Forms
Base
shovel out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shovels out
he/she/it
Past simple
shoveled out
yesterday
Past participle
shoveled out
have + pp
-ing form
shoveling out
continuous
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