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explain
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explanation
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Also available:
World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français
explicate
ex·pli·cate
[
ékspli kàyt
]
(
past and past participle
ex·pli·cat·ed
,
present participle
ex·pli·cat·ing
,
3rd person present singular
ex·pli·cates
)
transitive verb
Definition:
1.
explain something:
to explain something, especially a literary text, in a detailed and formal way
2.
develop theory:
to explain and develop an idea or theory and show its implications
[
Early 16th century. < Latin
explicat-
, past participle of
explicare
"unfold" <
plicare
"to fold"
]
ex·pli·ca·tion
[
èkspli káysh'n
]
noun
ex·pli·ca·tive
[
ékspli kàytiv,
ik splíkətiv
]
adjective
ex·pli·ca·tor
noun
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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