explain

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[edit] English

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[edit] Etymology

Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanāre (to flatten, to spread out, make plain or clear, explain), from ex- (out) + planāre (to flatten, make level), from planus (level, plain); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced native Middle English arecchen, irecchen (to explain, expound) (from Old English āreccan, ġereccan).

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛkˈspleɪn/, /ɪkˈspleɪn/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪn

[edit] Verb

explain (third-person singular simple present explains, present participle explaining, simple past and past participle explained)

  1. 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 (c) how to do something, about the steps which need to be accomplished in order to accomplish a certain goal.
  2. To give a valid excuse for some past behavior.
  3. (obsolete) To make flat, smooth out.
  4. (obsolete) To unfold or make visible.

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