Learn English – What does “space it out” mean

phrase-meaning

Use spaces liberally throughout your code. “When in doubt, space it out.”

In the above sentence, what does "space it out" mean?

Source: https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/best-practices/coding-standards/javascript/#spacing

Best Answer

The construction

(verb) + it out

can be used to emphasize a verb in the sense to do that verb more, to do it until its maximum capacity, or to do it completely. So your example means

use more spaces

In other words, it means exactly what the first part says

Use spaces liberally throughout your code

There are other examples:

  • Talk it out
    To talk until you are satisfied, or until you express all your burdensome emotions

  • Work it out
    To work on a problem until it is finished or fixed

  • Stretch it out
    To stretch something, like a muscle until it is warmed up, or a rubberband until it is about to break

  • Stick it out
    To continue to do something to its end

There are other examples.

Further, the meaning I gave is not strict. Here is a special case.

cut it out

It means to stop something completely. For example, if you are trying to study, but your little brother or sister keeps asking you to play, you might tell him or her "Cut it out!"

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