Verb: explain ik'spleyn
- Make plain and comprehensible
"He explained the laws of physics to his students";
- explicate
- Give details; define scope and structure
"The committee explained their plan for fund-raising to the Dean"
- Serve as a reason, cause or justification of
"Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again";
- excuse
Derived forms: explained, explaining, explains
Type of: inform, justify, say, state, tell, vindicate
Encyclopedia: Explain