make out phrasal verb ( see also ↑ make )
1 . SEE/HEAR make something ↔ out to be just able to see or hear something:
He could just make out a dark shape moving towards him.
make out who/what etc
I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
2 . UNDERSTAND SOMETHING make something ↔ out to understand something, especially the reason why something has happened
make out what/how/why etc
I couldn’t make out what I had done to annoy her.
As far as I can make out, he has never been married.
3 . UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY make somebody ↔ out [usually in questions and negatives] to understand someone’s character and the way they behave:
Stuart’s a strange guy – I can’t make him out at all.
4 . WRITE CHEQUE ETC make something ↔ out to write something such as a bill or cheque:
She was making out a list of people to invite.
The book gives advice on making out a will.
make something ↔ out to
Make the cheque out to ‘Grays Ltd’.
5 . SAY/PRETEND make somebody/something ↔ out to say that something is true when it is not:
The situation was never as bad as the media made out.
make out (that)
She always tried to make out that I was wrong and she was right.
make somebody/something out to be something
He makes me out to be some sort of idiot.
6 . make out a case (for something) to find good reasons that prove something or show why you need something:
We made out a case for hiring another assistant.
7 . SUCCEED especially American English to succeed or progress in a particular way SYN get on :
How did you make out this morning?
8 . SEX informal especially American English to kiss and touch someone in a sexual way
9 . make out like a bandit American English informal to get or win a lot of money:
The lawyers made out like bandits.