Meaning & use
dole out
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Meaning
phrasetransitive
To give out something in small, controlled amounts, often unwillingly or sparingly.
Grammar: Takes an object: dole out money. The object can come between dole and out: dole it out.
Patterns
- dole out something
- dole something out
- dole out something to someone
The manager doled out the bonuses one by one, making everyone wait.
She doled out the last of the water to the survivors.
He doled out advice as if it were gold.
Common combinations
- dole out money
- The charity doled out money to the neediest families.
- dole out food
- The volunteers doled out food to the crowd.
- dole out punishment
- The judge doled out punishments to each offender.
- dole out advice
- My uncle is always doling out advice no one asked for.
Synonyms and how they differ
- distribute
- Distribute is neutral and simply means to give out to several people; dole out suggests doing so in small amounts or reluctantly.
- hand out
- Hand out is more casual and neutral, often used for giving things directly to people; dole out often implies a stingy or controlling manner.
Word family
- dole noun
- Money given by the government to unemployed people, or a small portion given out.
Commonly confused: dole out or doll out?
dole out vs doll out
Doll out is not a standard phrase; dole out is the correct spelling for giving out small amounts.
Practice
The teacher ___ the pencils to the students, giving each one only a single pencil.
Choose one answer.
The phrasal verb is 'dole out,' meaning to give out in small amounts. The other particles do not form a correct phrasal verb with 'dole.'
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dole out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.