Definitions for explain
ɪkˈspleɪnex·plain

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. explain, explicate(verb)

   make plain and comprehensible

   "He explained the laws of physics to his students"

2. explain(verb)

   define

   "The committee explained their plan for fund-raising to the Dean"

3. excuse, explain(verb)

   serve as a reason or cause or justification of

   "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. explain(Verb)

   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.

   Etymology: explanen, from explaner, from explanō, from ex- + planō, from planus; see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced native arecchen, irecchen (from areccan, gereccan).

2. explain(Verb)

   To give a valid excuse for some past behavior.

   Etymology: explanen, from explaner, from explanō, from ex- + planō, from planus; see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced native arecchen, irecchen (from areccan, gereccan).

3. explain(Verb)

   To make flat, smooth out.

   Etymology: explanen, from explaner, from explanō, from ex- + planō, from planus; see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced native arecchen, irecchen (from areccan, gereccan).

4. explain(Verb)

   To unfold or make visible.

   Etymology: explanen, from explaner, from explanō, from ex- + planō, from planus; see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced native arecchen, irecchen (from areccan, gereccan).

Webster Dictionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Explain(adj)

   to flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand

2. Explain(adj)

   to make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the meaning of; as, to explain a chapter of the Bible

3. Explain(verb)

   to give an explanation

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Explain

   eks-plān′, v.t. to make plain or intelligible: to unfold and illustrate the meaning of: to expound: to account for.—adj. Explain′able, that may be explained or cleared up.—ns. Explain′er, one who explains; Explanā′tion, act of explaining or clearing from obscurity: that which explains or clears up: the meaning or sense given to anything: a mutual clearing up of matters.—adv. Explan′atorily.—adj. Explan′atory, serving to explain or clear up: containing explanations.—Explain away, to modify the force of by explanation, generally in a bad sense. [O. Fr. explaner—L. explanāre—ex, out, planāre—planus, plain.]

Editors Contribution(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. explain

   To use words to provide data, detail, an answer, response, proof or information.

   The government are asked to explain the reason for their efficient and effective increase in revenue.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 14, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'explain' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1356

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'explain' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1107

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'explain' in Verbs Frequency: #119

How to pronounce explain?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say explain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of explain in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of explain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of explain in a Sentence

1. Zarfas Williams:

   It would be nice to have the ability to speak for our industry, to explain how we don't have an easy option to switch production somewhere else.

2. Albert Einstein:

   If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.

3. David Weil:

   That was historically a very good job that gave people a pathway to middle class opportunities, it's those kinds of jobs that have been outsourced that I find disturbing and help explain widening inequality.

4. Scott Bickford:

   It's difficult for me to explain to my constituents why states and government authorities which have the funds to pay lawyers get their fees paid when it could be used for a hospital, we think it sends the wrong message to victims of the opioid crisis.

5. Colin Campbell:

   Indeed, the Founders mentioned the pagan authors in so many heartfelt speeches, pamphlets and letters that today's sweeping references to America's 'Christian' roots and 'Judeo-Christian heritage' ought to be amended. Maybe these terms should be reserved to explain the traditional religions and morality of individuals, families, congregations, small communitities. Politically, our notions of virtue and vice have had another genesis.

Images & Illustrations of explain

Popularity rank by frequency of use