ex ‧ pla ‧ na ‧ tion S3 W2 /ˌekspləˈneɪʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ unexplained , ↑ explanatory , ↑ explicable ≠ ↑ inexplicable ; noun : explaining, ↑ explanation ; verb : ↑ explain ; adverb : ↑ inexplicably ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the reasons you give for why something happened or why you did something
explanation of/for
Can you think of any explanation for this failure?
without explanation
The concert was cancelled without explanation.
2 . [countable] a statement or piece of writing intended to describe how something works or make something easier to understand
provide/give an explanation
The ability to give clear explanations is the most important quality of the ideal teacher.
explanation of
I’ll try and give you a quick explanation of how the machine works.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have an explanation
Does the hospital have any explanation for why he died?
▪ give an explanation
The police gave no explanation for their actions.
▪ provide/offer an explanation
This theory may provide an explanation for the origins of the universe.
▪ ask for/demand an explanation
When I asked for an explanation, the people at the office said they didn't know.
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Furious parents are demanding an explanation from the school.
▪ wait for an explanation (=expect an explanation)
She continued to stare at him in silence, waiting for an explanation.
▪ find/think of/come up with an explanation
Scientists have been unable to find an explanation for this phenomenon.
▪ owe (somebody) an explanation
I think you owe me some kind of explanation.
▪ accept an explanation (=believe that it is true or correct)
The court accepted her explanation.
▪ need/require an explanation
We think the minister’s decision requires an explanation.
■ adjectives
▪ a possible explanation
Can anyone think of a possible explanation for why this is happening?
▪ the most likely/probable explanation (=one that is probably true)
The most likely explanation is that John missed the bus.
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The most probable explanation is that the water was contaminated.
▪ an obvious explanation (=one that is easy to see or notice)
There is no obvious explanation for his strange behaviour.
▪ a reasonable/plausible explanation (=one that is easy to believe)
Pilot error is the most plausible explanation for the crash.
▪ a satisfactory/adequate explanation (=one that explains something completely)
A bank must offer an adequate explanation of all its charges.
▪ a convincing/credible explanation (=one that you can believe is true)
The author fails to provide a convincing explanation for the main character’s motives.
▪ a logical/rational explanation (=one that is based on facts)
Physics finally gave us a rational explanation for the atom’s strange behaviour.
▪ further explanation (=additional reasons)
He gave no further explanation for leaving, and she did not ask for any.
■ phrases
▪ there is no apparent explanation (=used when there is no explanation that you can think of)
There was no apparent explanation for the attack.
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THESAURUS
▪ reason why something happens, or why someone does something:
What was the reason for the delay?
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I don’t know the reason why he left his last job.
▪ explanation a set of reasons that helps you to understand why something happens, especially when it seems difficult to understand:
There are various possible explanations for climate change.
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Is there any explanation for his behavior?
▪ motive a reason that makes someone decide to do something – often used about crimes:
Police say that there is no obvious motive for the attack.
▪ justification a good reason for doing something that seems wrong:
There is never any justification for torture or abuse.
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They try to use the situation in the Middle East as a justification for killing innocent civilians.
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There’s no justification for this type of behaviour.
▪ grounds a reason that makes it right or fair to do something, especially according to legal, official, or moral rules:
The court will decide if she has grounds for divorce.
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They claim the war is justified on moral grounds (=because of moral reasons) .
▪ basis the main ideas or reasons on which something is based:
The doctor makes his decisions purely on the basis of clinical observation.
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What do you think is the basis for this advice?
▪ rationale /ˌræʃəˈnɑːl $ -ˈnæl/ formal a set of reasons that are used to explain why someone does something in a particular way:
the rationale behind the government’s economic reforms
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This chapter explains the nature of yearly plans, and provides a rationale for their use.