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more about explain
explain |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Explain \Ex*plain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Explained}; p. pr & vb n. {Explaining}.] [L. explandare to flatten, spread out explain; ex out+plandare to make level or plain, planus plain: cf OF esplaner explaner. See {Plain},a., and cf {Esplanade}.] 1. To flatten; to spread out to unfold; to expand. [Obs.] The horse-chestnut is . . . ready to explain its leaf. --Evelyn. 2. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the meaning of as to explain a chapter of the Bible. Commentators to explain the difficult passages to you --Gay. {To explain away}, to get rid of by explanation. ``Those explain the meaning quite away.'' --Pope. Syn: To expound; interpret; elucidate; clear up From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Explain \Ex*plain"\, v. i. To give an explanation. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: explain v 1: give an explanation for [syn: {explicate}] 2: state by way of explanation 3: serve as an excuse for [syn: {excuse}]
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