v. Forms: 6 explaine, 6–7 explayne, 6–8 explane, 7– explain. [ad. L. explānāre, f. ex- (see EX- pref.1) + plān-us flat, PLAIN. Cf. OF. ex-, esplaner.]
† 1. To smooth out, make smooth, take out roughness from. Obs.
1549. Chaloner, trans. Erasm. Moriæ Enc., B j. He must caulme and explane his forehead.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 9. Their faces are explained or flatted by art.
† 2. To open out, unfold, spread out flat (a material object). Also refl. and intr. for refl. To explain (itself) into: to develop. Obs.
1607. Deloney, Strange Hist., I. (Percy Soc.), 10. Her wit … like a ship her selfe explaines.
1644. Bulwer, Chiron., 53. The left hand explained into a Palme.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 231. Before they [buds] explain into leaves. Ibid. (1684), in Phil. Trans., XIV. 569. The Horse-Chesnut is … ready to explain its leaf.
1721. R. Bradley, Wks. Nat., 46. In the Gourd … a Seed … coming to explain itself into a Plant of full Perfection, will spread its Vine in six months. Ibid., 144. Beetles … have … Wings … so disposed as to fold up or explain themselves at the Will of the Insect.
† b. To make plainly visible; to display; also, To explain itself to be (something). Obs.
1607. Rowlands, Famous Hist. Guy Warw., 71. That life she entertains … And such severity therein explains.
1608. R. Johnson, 7 Champions, II. P iv b. The darke night began … to give Aurora libertie to explayne her purple brightnesse.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. lvii. (1739), 105. England would … explain itself unto the World to be a regular Government.
3. a. To unfold (a matter); to give details of, enter into details respecting. Occas. with indirect question as obj.
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 63/2. Other thinges, which the doctor rather signified then fully explaned.
1571. Digges, Pantom., IV. xxv. Ff iv b. To explane the composition, fourme, nature, and proportion.
1729. Butler, Serm., Pref., Wks. II. 9. The following Discourses … were intended to explain what is meant by the nature of man.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. Pref. p. xxii. I thought it just to explane the MEDICINAL QUALITIES and USES of SIMPLE WATERS.
1866. J. Martineau, Ess., I. 71. Does he explain the business of Ethics?
Mod. You have not explained how your results are obtained.
absol. 1671. Milton, Samson, 1583. Wearied with slaughter then, or how? explain.
1741. C. Middleton, Cicero, I. III. (ed. 2), 177. A tongue that could explane.
b. To make plain or intelligible; to clear of obscurity or difficulty.
1552. Huloet, Explayne, explico.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 345. He hath not explaned the manner of the mysterie.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xlvi. 378. The Power of Explaining them [Laws] when there is need.
1676. Glanvill, Ess., Confidence in Philos., 6. How the pure Mind can receive information from things that are not like it self … is … not to be explain’d.
1726. Gay, Lett. to Swift, 17 Nov., in Swift’s Lett. (1741), 70 (J.). You will have the pleasure of variety of commentators, to explain the difficult passages to you.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, ii. 44. What the child cannot understand you explain; and the intelligence of the child rises up to yours.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 131. Allow me to explain my meaning.
4. To assign a meaning to, state the meaning or import of; to interpret.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 518. The sounding Alchymie By Harald’s voice explain’d.
1692. Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 109. An innocent word maliciously explained.
1726. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 48. This he told Mirza in the Moorish Tongue, but explain’d it to me in English.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 221. 102. To define fire by heat, would be to explain a thing by it self.
1778. Shaks., Per., II. ii. 14 (Steevens). ’Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain [1608 entertaine] The labour of each knight, in his device.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 30. Hindrance is the fact acknowledged, howso’er explained as Fate, Fortune, Providence.
b. To explain away: to modify or do away with (a meaning, etc.) by explanation; to explain so as to deprive of force or significance, esp. an offensive one. † To explain oneself away: to explain away one’s meaning.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 117. Those explained the meaning quite away.
1729. Butler, Serm., Pref., Wks. II. 22. There is a strange affectation in many people of explaining away all particular affections.
1786. H. Tooke, Purley, Introd. (1798), 11. You shall not be permitted to explain yourself away.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 741. His words were taken down; and, though he tried to explain them away, he was sent to the Tower.
1876. Mozley, Univ. Serm., vii. 175. To explain away the natural meaning of this part of Scripture language.
1885. Hemming, in Law Rep. 29 Chanc. Div. 293. He seeks to explain away the authorities we rely on.
5. To make clear the cause, origin or reason of; to account for.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. v. Wks. I. 90. It may be hard to explain the faculty, by which we are capable of habits.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., IV. iii. I make no doubt—but I shall explain everything to your satisfaction.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. viii. 267. The principles we have laid down enable us to explain the difference.
1863. Mary Howitt, trans. F. Bremer’s Greece, II. xiv. 91. It has been known from the most ancient times, but has never yet been explained in a satisfactory manner.
6. refl. To make one’s meaning clear and intelligible, speak plainly. Also, to give an account of one’s intentions or motives. Formerly with subord. clause: To state in explanation of one’s conduct that, etc.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., 86. More particularly explaining himselfe he saith.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. xliv. (1739), 71. The Duke must now explain himself, that it was the value of the English Crown, and not the Title, that brought him over.
1660. Fuller, Mixt Contempl. (1841), 216. Being desired farther to explain himself; I mean, said he, [etc.].
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest, ix. Explain yourself, lovely Adeline.
7. intr. a. With subord. clause. To say in explanation that.
1867. S. W. Baker, Albert N’yanza, II. 162. Explaining that I was quite out of stores and presents.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 132. He … explains to Socrates that he has attained the conception of ideas by a process of generalization.
† b. To speak one’s mind against, upon.
(Somewhat common in 18th c.)
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 45, ¶ 9. My intended Purpose … was to explain upon the Order of Merry Fellows.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, II. xxxiv. 141. The Designs … which they had … so loudly explained against.
1764. Chesterf., Lett., IV. 202. The Public … begins to explain upon him.
Hence Explained ppl. a.; in quot. as compar.
1685. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 140. Ye Assembly requested … that a further Explainter Sence might be admitted.
