ex|pi|ate /e kspie I t/ (expiates , expiating , expiated ) VERB If you expiate guilty feelings or bad behaviour, you do something to indicate that you are sorry for what you have done. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] It seemed that Alice was expiating her father's sins with her charity work. [Also V n + for ] ● ex|pia|tion /e kspie I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …an often painful process of evaluation and expiation.
ex|pi|ra|tion /e ksp I re I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT The expiration of a fixed period of time is its ending. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a few hours before the expiration of the midnight deadline.
ex|pire / I kspa I ə r / (expires , expiring , expired ) VERB When something such as a contract, deadline, or visa expires , it comes to an end or is no longer valid. □ [V ] He had lived illegally in the United States for five years after his visitor's visa expired.
ex|pi|ry / I kspa I ə ri/ N‑UNCOUNT [N n] The expiry of something such as a contract, deadline, or visa is the time that it comes to an end or stops being valid. □ [+ of ] …the expiry of a fixed term contract. □ Make a note of credit card numbers and check expiry dates.
ex|plain ◆◆◇ / I ksple I n/ (explains , explaining , explained )
1 VERB If you explain something, you give details about it or describe it so that it can be understood. □ [V n] Not every judge, however, has the ability to explain the law in simple terms. □ [V n + to ] Don't sign anything until your solicitor has explained the contract to you. □ [V wh] Professor Griffiths explained how the drug appears to work. □ [V with quote] 'He and Mrs Stein have a plan,' she explained. □ [V that] I explained that each person has different ideas of what freedom is. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you explain something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it. □ [V ] 'Let me explain, sir.'—'Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know.'. □ [V n] Before she ran away, she left a note explaining her actions. □ [V pron-refl] Hospital discipline was broken. Amy would have to explain herself. □ [V wh] Explain why you didn't phone. □ [V that] The receptionist apologized for the delay, explaining that it had been a hectic day. [Also V n + to , V with quote]
▸ explain away PHRASAL VERB If someone explains away a mistake or a bad situation they are responsible for, they try to indicate that it is unimportant or that it is not really their fault. □ [V P n] He evaded her questions about the war and tried to explain away the atrocities. □ [V n P ] I had noticed blood on my husband's clothing but he explained it away.
ex|pla|na|tion ◆◇◇ /e kspləne I ʃ ə n/ (explanations )
1 N‑COUNT [oft of/in N ] If you give an explanation of something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it. □ [+of ] She told the court she would give a full explanation of the prosecution's decision on Monday. □ 'It's my ulcer,' he added by way of explanation.
2 N‑COUNT If you say there is an explanation for something, you mean that there is a reason for it. □ [+ for ] The deputy airport manager said there was no apparent explanation for the crash. □ It's the only explanation for these results.
3 N‑COUNT If you give an explanation of something, you give details about it or describe it so that it can be understood. □ [+ of ] Haig was immediately impressed by Charteris's expertise and by his lucid explanation of the work. SYNONYMS explanation NOUN
1
interpretation: The opposition Conservative Party put a different interpretation on the figures.
clarification: The union has written to Zurich asking for clarification of the situation.
2
reason: There is a reason for every important thing that happens.
cause: The causes are a complex blend of local and national tensions.
excuse: It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness.
motive: Police have ruled out robbery as a motive for the killing.
ex|plana|tory / I ksplæ nətəri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Explanatory statements or theories are intended to make people understand something by describing it or giving the reasons for it. [FORMAL ] □ These statements are accompanied by a series of explanatory notes.
ex|pletive / I kspliː t I v/ (expletives ) N‑COUNT An expletive is a rude word or expression such as 'Damn!' which you say when you are annoyed, excited, or in pain. [FORMAL ]
ex|pli|cable / I kspl I kəb ə l, [AM ] e kspl I k-/ ADJ If something is explicable , it can be explained and understood because it is logical or sensible. [FORMAL ] □ The older I grow, the stranger and less explicable the world appears to me.
ex|pli|cate /e kspl I ke I t/ (explicates , explicating , explicated ) VERB To explicate something means to explain it and make it clear. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] We shall have to explicate its basic assumptions before we can assess its implications. ● ex|pli|ca|tion /e kspl I ke I ʃ ə n/ (explications ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] The jury listened to his impassioned explication of article 306. □ [+ of ] McKen criticises the lack of explication of what the term 'areas' means.
ex|plic|it / I kspl I s I t/
1 ADJ Something that is explicit is expressed or shown clearly and openly, without any attempt to hide anything. □ …sexually explicit scenes in films and books. □ …explicit references to age in recruitment advertising. ● ex|plic|it|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ The play was the first commercially successful work dealing explicitly with homosexuality. ● ex|plic|it|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ When the book was published, the energy and explicitness caught the popular imagination.