clarify
/ˈklæɹ.ɪ.faɪ/ verb
Forms clarifies clarifying clarified clarifiest clarifiedst clarifieth
- verb (ergative, of liquids, such as wine or syrup) To make or become clear or bright by freeing from impurities or turbidity. “What's the best way to clarify cooking oil?”
- verb (by extension) To make or become clear or easily understood; to explain or resolve in order to remove doubt or obscurity. “Please clarify what you mean by this.”
- verb (obsolete) To glorify.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English clarifien, from Old French clarifiier, from Latin clārificō, clārificāre; clārus (“clear”) + faciō, facere (“make”). Semantically clear + -ify.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter; to defecate; to fine; --said of liquids, as wine or sirup. "Boiled and clarified." Ure.
- verb To make clear; to free from obscurities; to brighten or illuminate.
- verb To grow or become clear or transparent; to become free from feculent impurities, as wine or other liquid under clarification.
- verb To grow clear or bright; to clear up. Whosoever hath his mind fraught with many thoughts, his wits and understanding do clarify and break up in the discoursing with another. Bacon.
Etymology [F. clarifier, from L. clarificare; clarus clear + facere to make. See Clear, and Fact.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “clarify”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details