explain

explain
verb
ADVERB
▪ in detail
▪

I explained the issues in great detail.

▪ fully
▪

The reasons for the accident have not been fully explained.

▪ adequately, properly, really, satisfactorily, well
▪ partially, partly
▪

This partly explains why he was so late.

▪ exactly
▪ briefly
▪ quickly
▪ easily, readily, simply
▪

This phenomenon can be easily explained.

▪ clearly
▪ carefully
▪ calmly
▪ helpfully, patiently
▪

The doctor explained patiently what the treatment would be.

▪ concisely, succinctly
▪

The general principles behind the method used are explained clearly and concisely.

▪ excitedly
VERB + EXPLAIN
▪ be able to, be unable to, can
▪

I know I'm late, but I can explain why.

▪ attempt to, seek to, try to
▪

It is a book which seeks to explain the birth of Greek tragedy.

▪ help (to)
▪ purport to
▪

Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.

▪ be difficult to, be hard to
▪

It's difficult to explain exactly how the system works.

▪ hasten to
▪

She saw his quick frown and hastened to explain.

▪ let sb
▪

Let me explain what I mean.

PREPOSITION
▪ about
▪

She tried to explain about her fears and anxieties.

▪ to
▪

She explained the plan to me very carefully.

PHRASES
▪ explain everything
▪

I have a letter here which explains everything.

▪ go a long way, some way, etc. towards/toward explaining sth
▪

This goes some way towards/toward explaining the hostility between the two groups.

Explain is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑article, ↑difference, ↑document, ↑factor, ↑leaflet, ↑letter, ↑page, ↑paragraph, ↑report, ↑theory
Explain is used with these nouns as the object: ↑absence, ↑background, ↑basics, ↑complexity, ↑concept, ↑conduct, ↑decision, ↑detail, ↑difference, ↑disappearance, ↑discrepancy, ↑disparity, ↑effect, ↑existence, ↑extent, ↑fact, ↑failure, ↑feeling, ↑finding, ↑idea, ↑implication, ↑importance, ↑inability, ↑incidence, ↑incident, ↑meaning, ↑motivation, ↑motive, ↑mystery, ↑nature, ↑occurrence, ↑origin, ↑paradox, ↑phenomenon, ↑popularity, ↑predicament, ↑principle, ↑reason, ↑reasoning, ↑reluctance, ↑rule, ↑shift, ↑similarity, ↑situation, ↑success, ↑teaching, ↑term, ↑thing, ↑thinking, ↑variation, ↑view, ↑workings

Collocations dictionary. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • explain — 1 Explain, expound, explicate, elucidate, interpret, construe are comparable when they mean to make oneself or another understand the meaning of something. Explain, the most general term, implies a making of something plain or intelligible to… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Explain — Ex*plain ([e^]ks*pl[=a]n ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Explained}([e^]ks*pl[=a]nd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Explaining}.] [L. explandare to flatten, spread out, explain; ex out + plandare to make level or plain, planus plain: cf. OF. esplaner, explaner. See… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • explain — [ek splān′, iksplān′] vt. [ME explanen < L explanare, to flatten < ex , out + planare, to make level < planus, level (see PLANE2): sp. infl. by PLAIN1] 1. to make clear, plain, or understandable 2. to give the meaning or interpretation… …   English World dictionary

  • explain — (v.) early 15c., from L. explanare to make level, smooth out; also to explain, make clear (see EXPLANATION (Cf. explanation)). Originally explane, spelling altered by influence of plain. In 17c., occasionally used more literally, of the unfolding …   Etymology dictionary

  • explain — ► VERB 1) make clear by giving a detailed description. 2) give a reason or justification for. 3) (explain oneself) excuse or justify one s motives or conduct. 4) (explain away) minimize the significance of (something awkward) by giving an excuse… …   English terms dictionary

  • Explain — Ex*plain , v. i. To give an explanation. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • explain — I verb account for, annotate, assign a meaning to, cause to be understood, clarify, clear of obscurity, clear up, decipher, define, demonstrate, describe, disentangle, elucidate, enlighten, enucleate, exemplify, expedire, explanare, explicate,… …   Law dictionary

  • explain — [v] make clear; give a reason for account for, analyze, annotate, break down, bring out, clarify, clear up, construe, decipher, define, demonstrate, describe, diagram, disclose, elucidate, excuse, explicate, expound, get across*, go into detail,… …   New thesaurus

  • explain — ex|plain W1S1 [ıkˈspleın] v [I and T] [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: explanare to make level, unfold , from planus level, flat ] 1.) to tell someone about something in a way that is clear or easy to understand ▪ Our lawyer carefully explained …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • explain — ex|plain [ ık spleın ] verb *** 1. ) transitive to tell someone something in a way that helps them understand it better: My full name is Juliet Avery, Juliet explained patiently. explain something to someone: The doctor explained the risks to me… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • explain */*/*/ — UK [ɪkˈspleɪn] / US verb Word forms explain : present tense I/you/we/they explain he/she/it explains present participle explaining past tense explained past participle explained 1) a) [transitive] to tell someone something in a way that helps… …   English dictionary

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