explain
verb 1 make clear by giving a detailed description. 2 give a reason or justification for. 3 (explain oneself) excuse or justify ones motives or conduct. 4 (explain away) minimize the significance of (something awkward) by giving an excuse or justification. DERIVATIVES explainable adjective explainer noun explanation noun. ORIGIN Latin explanare, from planus plain.
Perform another search of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary
About this dictionary
The Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English contains 145,000 words, phrases, and definitions.
Find out more about Oxford's range of English dictionaries
Sign up for the AskOxford Word of the Day
Search the Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
Search the Concise Dictionary of First Names
|