explain Hear it!

explain definition

ex·plain (ek splān′, ik-)

transitive verb

  1. to make clear, plain, or understandable
  2. to give the meaning or interpretation of; expound
  3. to account for; state reasons for

Etymology: ME explanen < L explanare, to flatten < ex-, out + planare, to make level < planus, level (see plane): sp. infl. by plain

intransitive verb

to give an explanation

Related Forms:

explain Idioms

explain away

to state reasons for so as to justify, often by minimizing, or make understandable

explain oneself

  1. to make clear what one means
  2. to give reasons justifying one's conduct

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

explain Synonyms

explain

v.

interpret, explicate, account for, elucidate, illustrate, clarify, illuminate, make clear, describe, expound, teach, manifest, reveal, disclose, point up, point out, demonstrate, tell, refine, read, translate, paraphrase, render, put in other words, decipher, assign a meaning to, construe, define, disentangle, justify, rationalize, untangle, unravel, make plain, unfold, come to the point, put across, throw light upon, show by example, restate, rephrase, simplify, demystify, annotate, comment on, remark upon, offer an explanation, resolve, clear up, set right, put on the right track, unscramble, spell out, articulate, go into detail, get to the bottom of, figure out, speak out, emphasize, cast light upon, get across, get over, get through, get to, bring out, work out, solve, make sense of, make oneself understood, hammer into one's head*, put in plain English*.

Antonyms puzzle, confuse*, confound.

explain implies making clear or intelligible something that is not known or understood to explain how a machine operates; expound implies a systematic and thorough explanation, often by a person having expert knowledge to expound a theory; explicate implies a scholarly analysis or exposition that is developed in detail the explication of a Biblical passage; elucidate implies a shedding light upon by clear and specific explanation, illustration, etc. to elucidate the country's foreign policy; to interpret is to bring out meanings not immediately apparent, as by translation, searching insight, or special knowledge how do you interpret his behavior?; construe suggests a careful interpretation of something especially where meaning is ambiguous her silence was construed as agreement


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

explain Usage Examples

Followed by a transitive particle

  • away: They turned to superstition as well as religion to explain away the causes.

Object

  • phenomenon: They use physical ideas to explain simple phenomena for example, the formation of shadows, sounds being heard through a variety of materials.

Used with why or when

  • why: In the ' Answer ' , you can explain why you disagree with the facts used to refuse your claim.

Modifying Another Word

  • briefly: I find unlikely I'll just briefly explain the plot of Friends.

Preposition: in

  • detail: These courses are explained in more detail in section 2.
explain usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

explain quotes

You will find in politics that you are much exposed to the attribution of false motives. Never complain and never explain.

-Baldwin (of Bewdley), Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl

'Why,'said the Dodo,'the best way to explain it is to do it.'

-Dodgson

You explain nothing,O poet, but thanks to you all things become explicable.

-Claudel, Paul

explain quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
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explain. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/explain

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