1
general::
1. Work or figure out, as in I've been trying to dope out this new computer program. [Slang; c. 1900] 2. Also, dope up. Use narcotics or psychotropic drugs, as in They said the fraternity initiation may involve doping up. The first term dates from the early 1900s, the variant from about 1970.
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): dope something out
1. Sl. to figure something out. • He spent a lot of time trying to dope the assignment out so he could understand it. • It’s hard to dope out a physics assignment after midnight. 2. Sl. to explain something carefully. • He doped it all out to them very carefully so that no one would be confused. • He doped out the information slowly and patiently.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs