# Why do you "shell out" cash? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974 "2006-12-05T20:07:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/1 "2006-12-05T20:07:10Z")
Just wondering… M ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/2 "2006-12-05T20:41:26Z")
Coulds’t thou be perchance a bit more specific? I’m not sure what you’re asking with the “shell out” term. - Why/when do you use cash instead of credit? - Do you give folks money when they ask for it? - Do you keep your money in a mollusk covering? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/3 "2006-12-05T20:46:42Z")
I think the question is (I Am Sam hat: On) What does that _mean?_ (I Am Sam hat/off). Why would you say “shoe out” or “pizza out?” Why “shell” out? ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/4 "2006-12-05T20:47:44Z")
Ahh, good question. Was more wondering about the expression itself. Why we use the term “shell out” when it kind of makes no literal sense, like most figures of speech I suppose. Etymology is the word I’m looking for I think. Cheers M ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/5 "2006-12-05T20:47:55Z")
Why _wouldn’t._ D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/6 "2006-12-05T21:16:08Z")
I googled “shell out etymology” and got [this](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=shell) page. > [@](#): > > 1562, “to remove (a nut, etc.) from a shell,” from shell (v.). The meaning "to bombard with shells is first attested 1856. To shell out “disburse” (1801) is a fig. use from the image of extracting nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/7 "2006-12-05T21:23:19Z")
Didn’t this term arise out of the term ‘clams’ for dollars? I seem to recall enough old movies that had the term “couple of clams” for a few bucks. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![cliveh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@cliveh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cliveh)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-shell-out-cash/382974/8 "2006-12-05T21:38:05Z")
guessing here but the obvious link is to be to oyster fishing. Shells hopefully give out their pearls thus making you richer. Shelling out seems to be a natural phrasal verb from this