— explainable , adj. — explainer, explanator /ek"spleuh nay'teuhr/ , n.
/ik splayn"/ , v.t.
1. to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible: to explain an obscure point.
2. to make known in detail: to explain how to do something.
3. to assign a meaning to; interpret: How can you explain such a silly remark?
4. to make clear the cause or reason of; account for: I cannot explain his strange behavior.
v.i.
5. to give an explanation.
6. explain away ,
a. to diminish or nullify the significance of by explanation: He couldn't explain away his absence from home at the time the robbery was committed.
b. to dispel (doubts, difficulties, etc.) by explanation: She explained away the child's fears.
[ 1375-1425; late ME explanen explanare to smooth out, make intelligible, spread out on flat surface. See EX- 1 , PLANE 1 ]
Syn. 1. explicate. EXPLAIN, ELUCIDATE, EXPOUND, INTERPRET imply making the meaning of something clear or understandable. To EXPLAIN is to make plain, clear, or intelligible something that is not known or understood: to explain a theory or a problem. To ELUCIDATE is to throw light on what before was dark and obscure, usually by illustration and commentary and sometimes by elaborate explanation: They asked him to elucidate his statement.
To EXPOUND is to give a methodical, detailed, scholarly explanation of something, usually Scriptures, doctrines, or philosophy: to expound the doctrine of free will. To INTERPRET is to give the meaning of something by paraphrase, by translation, or by an explanation based on personal opinion: to interpret a poem or a symbol. 4. justify.
Ant. 1. confuse.