parcel out

verb parcels out · parceling out · parcelling out · parceled out · parcelled out

1. idiomatic To divide into portions or chunks; to ration. It's a large job, but if we parcel it out among several people over several weeks, it shouldn't be too difficult.
2. To assign. Jem parceled out our roles: I was Mrs. Radley, and all I had to do was come out and sweep the porch. Dill was old Mr. Radley: he walked up and down the sidewalk and coughed when Jem spoke to him. Jem, naturally, was Boo: he went under the front steps and shrieked and howled from time to time.