Syn. — Definition; description; explication; exposition; interpretation; detail. See Definition.
Explanative
(Ex*plan"a*tive) a. Explanatory.
Explanatoriness
(Ex*plan"a*to*ri*ness) n. The quality of being explanatory.
Explanatory
(Ex*plan"a*to*ry) a. [L. explanatorius.] Serving to explain; containing explanation; as explanatory
notes. Swift.
Explat
(Ex*plat" Ex*plate") v. t. [Pref. ex- + plat or plait.] To explain; to unfold. [Obs.]
Like Solon's self explatest the knotty laws.
B. Jonson. Expletion
(Ex*ple"tion) n. [L. expletio a satisfying. See Expletive.] Accomplishment; fulfillment. [Obs.]
Killingbeck.
Expletive
(Ex"ple*tive) a. [L. expletivus, from expletus, p. p. of explere to fill up; ex out+plere to fill,
akin to plenus full: cf. F. explétif. See Full.] Filling up; hence, added merely for the purpose of filling
up; superfluous. "Expletive imagery." Hallam.
Expletive phrases to plump his speech.
Barrow. Expletive
(Ex"ple*tive), n. A word, letter, or syllable not necessary to the sense, but inserted to fill a
vacancy; an oath.
While explectives their feeble aid to join,
And ten low words oft creep in one dull line.
Pope. Expletively
(Ex"ple*tive*ly), adv. In the manner of an expletive.
Expletory
(Ex"ple*to*ry) a. Serving to fill up; expletive; superfluous; as, an expletory word. Bp. Burnet.
Explicable
(Ex"pli*ca*ble) a. [L. explicabilis: cf. F. explicable.] Capable of being explicated; that may
be explained or accounted for; admitting explanation.
It is not explicable upon any grounds.
Burke. Explicableness
(Ex"pli*ca*ble*ness), n. Quality of being explicable.
Explicate
(Ex"pli*cate) a. [L. explicatus, p. p. of explicare.] Evolved; unfolded. Jer. Taylor.
Explicate
(Ex"pli*cate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Explicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Explicating]
1. To unfold; to expand; to lay open. [Obs.] "They explicate the leaves." Blackmore.
2. To unfold the meaning or sense of; to explain; to clear of difficulties or obscurity; to interpret.
The last verse of his last satire is not yet sufficiently explicated.
Dryden. Explication
(Ex`pli*ca"tion) n. [L. explicatio: cf. F. explication.]
1. The act of opening, unfolding, or explaining; explanation; exposition; interpretation.
The explication of our Savior's parables.
Atterbury. 2. The sense given by an expositor. Bp. Burnet.
