explain
Listen:Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
explain/ɪkˈspleɪn/
▶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 an excuse or justification.
– derivatives
explainable adjective,
explainer noun.
explainable adjective,
explainer noun.
– origin ME: from L. explanare, based on planus ‘plain’.
'explain' also found in these Oxford entries:
account
- analysis
- and
- clear
- come
- complementarity
- deploy
- elucidate
- enucleate
- esplanade
- explanatory
- expound
- gestalt psychology
- illuminate
- interpret
- labour
- light
- mysterious
- mystery
- naturalize
- over-elaborate
- philosophize
- riddle
- show
- spell
- theory
