Adjacent Words

Expound definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXPOUND', v.t. [L. expono; ex and pono, to set.]
1. To explain; to lay open the meaning; to clear of obscurity; to interpret; as, to expound a text of scripture; to expound a law.
2. To lay open; to examine; as, to expound the pocket. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; "She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation" [syn: elaborate, lucubrate, expatiate, exposit, enlarge, flesh out, expand, expound, dilate] [ant: abbreviate, abridge, contract, cut, foreshorten, reduce, shorten]
2: state; "set forth one's reasons" [syn: set forth, expound, exposit]

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French espundre, expondre, from Latin exponere to explain — more at expose Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to set forth ; state b. to defend with argument 2. to explain by setting forth in careful and often elaborate detail <expound a law> intransitive verb to make a statement ; comment Synonyms: see explain • expounder noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 set out in detail (a doctrine etc.). 2 explain or interpret (esp. Scripture). Derivatives: expounder n. Etymology: ME f. OF espondre (as EXPONENT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Expound Ex*pound" ([e^]ks*pound"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Expounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Expounding.] [OE. exponen, expounen, expounden, fr. L. exponere to set out, expose, expound; ex out + ponere to put: cf. OE. expondre, expondre. See Position.] 1. To lay open; to expose to view; to examine. [Obs.] He expounded both his pockets. --Hudibras. 2. To lay open the meaning of; to explain; to clear of obscurity; to interpret; as, to expound a text of Scripture, a law, a word, a meaning, or a riddle. Expound this matter more fully to me. --Bunyan.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(expounds, expounding, expounded) If you expound an idea or opinion, you give a clear and detailed explanation of it. (FORMAL) Schmidt continued to expound his views on economics and politics. = explain VERB: V n • Expound on means the same as expound. Lawrence expounded on the military aspects of guerrilla warfare. PHRASAL VERB: V P n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Give an account of, rehearse, reproduce, present, unfold, develop. 2. Explain, interpret, elucidate, clear up, lay open, make plain.

Moby Thesaurus

account for, allegorize, clarify, clear up, comment, construe, crack, decipher, delineate, demonstrate, demythologize, describe, discourse, elucidate, enlighten, euhemerize, exemplify, explain, explain away, explicate, exposit, express, give reason for, give the meaning, harangue, hold forth, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, lecture, make clear, make plain, moralize, point a moral, popularize, preach, present, rationalize, read a lesson, sermonize, shed light upon, show, show how, show the way, simplify, solve, spell out, state, throw light upon, unfold, unlock, unravel