EXPATIATE


Meaning of EXPATIATE in English

ekˈspāshēˌāt, ik-, usu -ād.+V verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Latin expatiatus, exspatiatus, past participle of expatiari, exspatiari to wander from the course, digress, from ex- ex- (I) + spatiari to take a walk, from spatium space, walk, course — more at speed

intransitive verb

1. : to move about freely or at will : wander

fetters to be snapped asunder in order that the human spirit might expatiate at liberty — Irving Babbitt

2. : to speak or write at length or in considerable detail : elaborate , enlarge — usually used with on or upon

his knowledge of the country enabled him to expatiate with fluency on the strategical situation — C.S.Forester

the promoter of the raffle … was expatiating upon the value of the fabric — Thomas Hardy

transitive verb

1. obsolete : expand , spread

princes expatiate their dominions — Thomas Adams

2. obsolete : to allow (oneself) to expatiate

an oration wherein he expatiated himself in his praises for the nobility — William Cave

Synonyms: see discourse

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.