“explained” is a form of
explain
/ɪkˈspleɪn/ verb
Forms explains explaining explained explane
- verb (transitive) To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of. “The issue was explained to the governor in detail.”
- verb (transitive) To give the reason for, justification for, or cause of.
- verb (obsolete) To make flat, smooth out.
- verb (obsolete) To unfold or make visible.
- verb (intransitive) To make something plain or intelligible. “She tried to explain but he wouldn’t listen.”
Synonyms
expound elaborate recce elucidate bring home account for absolve clarify describe direct disclose illustrate inform instruct justify specify teach unravel untangle upsolve explicate excuse
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced Old English reċċan.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand. [Obs.]
- verb 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.
- verb To give an explanation.
Etymology [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.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “explain”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details