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explain
[ik-spleyn] 
| Main Entry: |
explain
[ik-spleyn]
|
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make clear; give a reason for |
| Synonyms: | 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, illustrate, interpret, justify, make plain, manifest, paraphrase, point out, put across, put in plain English, rationalize, read, refine, render, resolve, reveal, set right, solve, spell out, teach, tell, throw light upon, translate, unfold, unravel, untangle |
| Notes: | explicate also contains the implication that the something of which an account is being given is more complicated or detailed - so while one may explain why a child is crying, one would explicate the meaning of a poem or implications of a legal document; early senses of explain were 'smooth out' and 'spread flat' |
| Antonyms: | be vague, complicate, confuse, mystify, obscure, perplex |
| Main Entry: | annotate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | write explanatory notes |
| Synonyms: | comment, commentate, construe, define, elucidate, explain, expound, footnote, gloss, illustrate, interpret, note, remark |
| Main Entry: | answer |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reply, react |
| Synonyms: | acknowledge, answer back, argue, back at you, back talk, be in touch, claim, comeback, contest, counterclaim, defend, deny, disprove, dispute, echo, explain, feedback, field the question, get back at, get back to, give a snappy comeback, parry, plead, rebut, refute, rejoin, remark, resolve, respond, retaliate, retort, return, sass, say, settle, shoot back, solve, squelch, talk back, top* |
| Notes: | an answer is something said, written, or done in return; a reply is an answer that satisfies a detail in a question |
| Antonyms: | ask, question |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | argue |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | try to convince; present support |
| Synonyms: | appeal, assert, attest, claim, contend, controvert, defend, demonstrate, denote, display, elucidate, establish, evince, exhibit, explain, hold, imply, indicate, justify, maintain, manifest, persuade, plead, present, prevail upon, reason, show, suggest, talk into, testify, vindicate, warrant, witness |
| Antonyms: | agree, comply |
| Main Entry: | brief |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | inform of facts |
| Synonyms: | abridge, advise, apprise, edify, enlighten, epitomize, explain, fill in, give rundown, give the lowdown, inform, initiate, instruct, let in on, orient, prepare, prime, recapitulate, show the lay of the land, show the ropes, summarize, tip off, update |
| Antonyms: | hide, secret |
| Main Entry: | clear |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | liberate; free from uncertainty |
| Synonyms: | absolve, acquit, clarify, defog, discharge, disculpate, emancipate, exculpate, exonerate, explain, find innocent, let go, let off, let off the hook, release, relieve, set free, vindicate |
| Antonyms: | condemn, find guilty, sentence |
| Main Entry: | come clean |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | tell the truth |
| Synonyms: | acknowledge information, admit, confess, confess all, explain, implicate oneself, incriminate oneself, make clean breast, own up, reveal, spill |
| Antonyms: | hide, hold, secret |
| Main Entry: | comment |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make statement of opinion, explanation |
| Synonyms: | affirm, animadvert, annotate, assert, bring out, clarify, commentate, conclude, construe, criticize, disclose, elucidate, explain, explicate, expound, express, gloss, illustrate, interject, interpose, interpret, mention, note, notice, observe, opine, pass on, point out, pronounce, reflect, remark, say, state, touch upon |
| Antonyms: | keep quiet, refrain |
| Main Entry: | confirm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | ratify, validate, prove |
| Synonyms: | affirm, approve, attest, authenticate, back, bear out, bless, buy, certify, check, check out, circumstantiate, corroborate, debunk, double-check, endorse, establish, explain, give green light, give high sign, give stamp of approval, give the go-ahead, give the nod, justify, lap up, make good, make sure, okay, rubber-stamp, sanction, settle, sign, sign off on, size up, subscribe, substantiate, support, thumbs up, underpin, uphold, verify, vouch, warrant, witness |
| Antonyms: | annul, cancel, contradict, destroy, disprove, invalidate, oppose, veto, void |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2012 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2012 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
