[f. prec. vb.: see -ATION.] The action of expatiating.
1. The action of walking abroad, or wandering at large; also, an instance of the same. lit. and fig. Also, opportunity or room for expatiating. rare.
1640. G. Watts, trans. Bacon’s Adv. Learn., II. xiii. 115. There are no other Errors, or manifest Expatiations in heaven, save those of the seaven Planets.
1647. Farindon, Serm. Jas. i. 27 (1672), I. xiii. 274. Taketh them from the Devils latitudes and exspatiations.
1666. G. Harvey, Morb. Angl. (1672), iv. 35. Gladness … is an expansion, or an expatiation of the said sensitive spirits out of their cells into some larger Meatus.
a. 1848. R. W. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., iv. (1853), 159. A proper self-love finds in religion, a perfect expatiation.
† 2. The action of extending, expanding or developing; expansion, development. Cf. sense 3 of vb. Also concr. an extended portion, a projection. Obs.
1612. J. Cotta, Disc. Dang. Pract. Phys., II. ii. 94. The vnlimited expatiation of so foule wrongs, do challenge all men.
1652. Bp. Hall, Height Eloquence, p. lii. A periphrasis very often winds up it self in its own expatiation.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Surrey, III. 76. Surrey … may be allowed to be a Square (besides its Angular Expatiation in the South-west) of two and twenty miles.
3. The action of discussing at large; extended talk or description.
1816. Keatinge, Trav. (1817), I. 277. The tact of the person who has thus had the discretion to turn away the bolt, is the theme of expatiation.
1831. T. L. Peacock, Crotchet Castle, xv. 235. This tempting field of interesting expatiation.
1878. M. Makoto, in N. Amer. Rev., CXXVII. 423. The reason is too apparent to require any expatiation.
1885. Manch. Exam., 28 Jan., 3/4. The whole article is an example … of tamely edifying expatiation.
