Source : WordNet®

shell out
     v : administer or bestow, as in small portions; "administer
         critical remarks to everyone present"; "dole out some
         money"; "shell out pocket money for the children"; "deal
         a blow to someone" [syn: {distribute}, {administer}, {mete
         out}, {deal}, {parcel out}, {lot}, {dispense}, {deal out},
          {dish out}, {allot}, {dole out}]

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

shell out
     
        [Unix] To spawn an interactive subshell from within a program
        (e.g. a mailer or editor).  "Bang foo runs foo in a subshell,
        while bang alone shells out."
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1995-05-11)