explore

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Archived revision by WingerBot (talk | contribs) as of 07:39, 30 November 2022.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: exploré

English

Etymology

From Middle French explorer, from Latin explōrāre (“to investigate, search out”), itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", from ex- (“out”) + plōrāre (“to cry”), but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (from pluere (“to flow”)).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 291: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: ĭksplôʹ, IPA(key): /ɪkˈsplɔː/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 291: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: ĭksplôrʹ, IPA(key): /ɪkˈsplɔɹ/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 291: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "rhotic" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: ĭksplōrʹ, IPA(key): /ɪkˈsplo(ː)ɹ/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 291: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "nonrhotic" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ɪkˈsploə/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
  • Hyphenation: ex‧plore

Verb

explore (third-person singular simple present explores, present participle exploring, simple past and past participle explored)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) To seek for something or after someone.
  2. (transitive) To examine or investigate something systematically.
    The committee has been exploring alternative solutions to the problem at hand.
    • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
      Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.
  3. (transitive) To travel somewhere in search of discovery.
    It was around that time that the expedition began exploring the Arctic Circle.
  4. (intransitive, medicine) To examine diagnostically.
  5. (transitive) To (seek) experience first hand.
    It is normal for a boy of this age to be exploring his sexuality.
  6. (intransitive) To be engaged exploring in any of the above senses.
    He was too busy exploring to notice his son needed his guidance.
  7. (intransitive) To wander without any particular aim or purpose.
    The boys explored all around till cold and hunger drove them back to the campfire one by one.
    • 1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “A Court Ball”, in The Squire’s Daughter, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published 1919, →OCLC, page 9:
      They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups.
  8. (transitive) To seek sexual variety, to sow one's wild oats.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

explore (plural explores)

  1. (colloquial) An exploration; a tour of a place to see what it is like.
    • 2008, John Watters, Bonza Voyage
      Daylight was fading quickly, but I was still keen to have a little explore of the town and beach.

French

Pronunciation

Verb

explore

  1. inflection of explorer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Portuguese

Verb

explore

  1. inflection of explorar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

Verb

explore

  1. inflection of explorar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=explore&oldid=70015629"