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3 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Explain \Ex*plain"\ ([e^]ks*pl[=a]n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     Explained([e^]ks*pl[=a]nd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Explaining.]
     [L. explandare to flatten, spread out, explain; ex out +
     plandare to make level or plain, planus plain: cf. OF.
     esplaner, explaner. See Plain,a., and cf. Esplanade.]
     1. To flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The horse-chestnut is . . . ready to explain its
              leaf.                                 --Evelyn.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of
        obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the
        meaning of; as, to explain a chapter of the Bible.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Commentators to explain the difficult passages to
              you.                                  --Gay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     To explain away, to get rid of by explanation. ``Those
        explain the meaning quite away.'' --Pope.
  
     Syn: To expound; interpret; elucidate; clear up.
          [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Explain \Ex*plain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Explained; p. pr. &
     vb. n. Explaining.] [L. explandare to flatten, spread out,
     explain; ex out+plandare to make level or plain, planus
     plain: cf. OF. esplaner, explaner. See Plain,a., and cf.
     Esplanade.]
     1. To flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand. [Obs.]
  
              The horse-chestnut is . . . ready to explain its
              leaf.                                 --Evelyn.
  
     2. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of
        obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the
        meaning of; as, to explain a chapter of the Bible.
  
              Commentators to explain the difficult passages to
              you.                                  --Gay.
  
     To explain away, to get rid of by explanation. ``Those
        explain the meaning quite away.'' --Pope.
  
     Syn: To expound; interpret; elucidate; clear up.

From English-Hungarian FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.2.1 :   [ freedict:eng-hun ]

  to explain away /tʊ ɛksplˈeɪn ɐwˈeɪ/
  kimagyaráz vmit

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