explain (verb)
1explain — ► VERB 1) make clear by giving a detailed description. 2) give a reason or justification for. 3) (explain oneself) excuse or justify one s motives or conduct. 4) (explain away) minimize the significance of (something awkward) by giving an excuse… …
2explain — verb Etymology: Middle English explanen, from Latin explanare, literally, to make level, from ex + planus level, flat more at floor Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. to make known < explain the secret of your success > b. to make plain or… …
3explain — verb ADVERB ▪ in detail ▪ I explained the issues in great detail. ▪ fully ▪ The reasons for the accident have not been fully explained. ▪ adequately …
4explain away — verb To dismiss or minimize by explanation, especially with regard to problems. He couldnt just explain away all of his problems. See Also: explain, explanation, explanatory …
5explain — verb 1》 make (something) clear by providing more detail. 2》 give a reason or justification for. ↘(explain oneself) excuse or justify one s behaviour. ↘(explain something away) minimize the significance of something embarrassing by giving… …
6explain — verb /ɛkˈspleɪn,ɪkˈspleɪn/ a) To give a sufficiently detailed report about (a) the reason for something, about why something happened, about a causal chain of events; about (b) how something works, about how elements in a system interact; about… …
7explain — I verb account for, annotate, assign a meaning to, cause to be understood, clarify, clear of obscurity, clear up, decipher, define, demonstrate, describe, disentangle, elucidate, enlighten, enucleate, exemplify, expedire, explanare, explicate,… …
8explain — verb 1) a technician explained the procedure Syn: describe, give an explanation of, make clear, make intelligible, spell out, put into words; elucidate, expound, explicate, clarify, throw/shed light on; gloss, interpret See note at …
9explain — verb 1) he explained the procedure Syn: describe, make clear, spell out, put into words, define, elucidate, expound, clarify, throw light on 2) that could explain his behaviour Syn: account for …
10explain away — transitive verb transitive verb 1. : to get rid of by or as if by explanation was trying to speak some words that … would explain away all the mistakes and misunderstandings of life Ellen Glasgow 2. : to minimize the significance of by or as if… …
