(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you give an ~ of something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it.
She told the court she would give a full ~ of the prosecution’s decision on Monday...
‘It’s my ulcer,’ he added by way of ~.
N-COUNT: also of/in N
2.
If you say there is an ~ for something, you mean that there is a reason for it.
The deputy airport manager said there was no apparent ~ for the crash...
It’s the only ~ I can think of.
= reason
N-COUNT: oft N for n
3.
If you give an ~ of something, you give details about it or describe it so that it can be understood.
Haig was immediately impressed by Charteris’s expertise and by his lucid ~ of the work.
N-COUNT: oft N of n