make out

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /meɪk aʊt/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /meɪk æɔt/, /meɪk æʊt/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /meɪk ʌʊt/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /mek ɘʉt/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

make out (third-person singular simple present makes out, present participle making out, simple past and past participle made out)

1. (transitive)
   1. To draw up (a document etc.), to designate (a cheque). [with to ‘a given recipient, payee’] [from 15th c.]

      Cheques may be made out to the Foo Bar Company.

   2. (obsolete) To send out. [16th–17th c.]
      • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job I:17:

        The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

   3. To discern; to manage to see, hear etc. [from 16th c.]

      In the distance, I could just make out a shadowy figure.

      • 2014 August 16, Daniel Taylor, “Swansea upstage Manchester United in Louis van Gaal’s Premier League bow”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

        There was a startling lack of creativity and if Van Gaal had listened closely he would have made out the mocking chants from the away end, as the visiting fans embarked on the repertoire of songs that formed the soundtrack to David Moyes’s time in the job.

      • [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:

        Though nothing of the vault except the roof was visible from where I lay, and so I could not see these visitors, yet I heard every word spoken, and soon made out one voice as being Master Ratsey's.

2. (now chiefly US, regional, intransitive) To manage, get along; to do (well, badly etc.). [from 17th c.]

   Oh, you were on a TV game show? How did you make out?

   • 1931 June 5, Hart Crane, Letters of Hart Crane and his family, New York: Columbia University Press, published 1974, →OCLC, To Clarence Arthur Crane, page 645, paragraph 2:

     Regarding money—I shall economize and make out probably very well from now on—without any outside help.

   • 1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids:

     'Will this little shack serve – or do we go further?' I asked.
     'Oh, I guess we'll make out,' she said. And together we waded through the delicate cream carpet to explore.

3. (ambitransitive) To represent; to make (something) appear to be true. [from 17th c.]

   His version of the story makes me out (to be) the bad guy.

   • 2002, Meg Cabot, All-American Girl, 2003 paperback edition, New York: Harper Trophy, →ISBN, page 134:

     She hadn't invited me to a party at her house since the third grade, and here she was, making out like we'd never stopped being friends.

4. (slang, chiefly US, intransitive)
   1. To get along with (someone).

      Him and I always make out well.

   2. To make an (often temporary) home.

      I'll make out in this room for the night.

   4. To embrace and kiss passionately. [from 20th c.]

      Synonyms: neck; see also Thesaurus:kiss

      We found a secluded spot where we could make out in private.

   5. (slang, nonstandard, rare) To engage in heavy petting or sexual intercourse. [from 20th c.]

• (to discern): descry, detect; see also Thesaurus:perceive or Thesaurus:spot
• (manage, get along): make do
• (to embrace): hug, squeeze; see also Thesaurus:embrace
• (to kiss passionately): smooch, neck; see also Thesaurus:kiss
• (to engage in heavy petting): cop a feel, grope, touch up; see also Thesaurus:fondle
• (to engage in sexual intercourse): make it, make whoopee; see also Thesaurus:copulate

• (to succeed): make out like a bandit
• (to kiss, pet, and so on): makeout (noun), maker-outer