explain

verb

1. 解释；说明；阐明
   to tell sb about sth in a way that makes it easy to understand
   1. First, I'll explain the rules of the game.
      首先我要说明一下游戏规则。
   2. It was difficult to explain the problem to beginners.
      对初学者解释这个问题很难。
   3. ‘Let me explain!’ he added helpfully.
      “让我来说明一下！”他热心地补充道。
   4. I explained that an ambulance would be coming soon.
      我解释说救护车很快就到。
   5. He explained who each person in the photo was.
      他对照片里的人一一作了介绍。
   6. Can you explain how the email system works?
      你能说明一下电子邮件系统的工作原理吗？
   7. She explained to them what to do in an emergency.
      她向他们说明了紧急情况下应采取的行动。
   8. ‘It works like this,’ she explained.
      “它是这样工作的。”她解释道。
2. 说明（…的）原因；解释（…的）理由
   to give a reason, or be a reason, for sth
   1. She tried to explain but he wouldn't listen.
      她试图说明一下原因，可他根本不听。
   2. Alex explained that his car had broken down.
      亚历克斯解释说他的汽车出了毛病。
   3. Well, that doesn't explain why you didn't phone.
      嗳，那不是你不打电话的理由。
   4. scientific findings that help explain the origins of the universe
      有助于解释宇宙起源的科学发现
   5. The government now has to explain its decision to the public.
      政府现在必须向公众解释决策的理由。
   6. Oh well then, that explains it (= I understand now why sth happened) .
      噢，原来是这么回事。

1. VERB 解释;说明
   If you explain something, you give details about it or describe it so that it can be understood.
   1. Not every judge, however, has the ability to explain the law in simple terms...
      然而，不是每个法官都能用简单的语言来解释法律。
   2. Don't sign anything until your solicitor has explained the contract to you...
      在律师向你解释清楚合同之前，不要签署任何东西。
   3. Professor Griffiths explained how the drug appears to work...
      格里菲思教授解释了那种药物的工作原理。
   4. 'He and Mrs Stein have a plan,' she explained...
      “他和斯坦夫人有个计划，”她解释说。
   5. I explained that each person has different ideas of what freedom is.
      我解释说，每个人对于自由是什么都有不同的观点。
2. VERB 解释;辩解;说明…的理由
   If you explain something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it.
   1. 'Let me explain, sir.' — 'Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know.'...
      “您听我解释，先生。”——“别跟我说，我不想知道。”
   2. Before she ran away, she left a note explaining her actions...
      逃跑前，她留下一张便条解释原委。
   3. Hospital discipline was broken. Amy would have to explain herself...
      破坏了医院的纪律，埃米将不得不为自己辩解。
   4. Explain why you didn't telephone...
      说说你为什么没有打电话。
   5. The receptionist apologized for the delay, explaining that it had been a hectic day.
      接待员为拖延而道歉，解释说这天太忙了。

1. I'll explain tomorrow morning.
   明天早上我会解释的。
2. If you'll bear with me, Frank, just let me try to explain.
   你要对我有点儿耐心，弗兰克，让我跟你解释。
3. How would you explain colour to a blind person?
   你如何向盲人解释颜色？
4. I've digressed a little to explain the situation so far, so let me now recap
   刚才我稍稍离题说明了迄今的情况，现在让我来概述一下。
5. Not every judge, however, has the ability to explain the law in simple terms
   然而，不是每个法官都能用简单的语言来解释法律。
6. Don't sign anything until your solicitor has explained the contract to you
   在律师向你解释清楚合同之前，不要签署任何东西。
7. Professor Griffiths explained how the drug appears to work
   格里菲思教授解释了那种药物的工作原理。
8. 'He and Mrs Stein have a plan,' she explained
   “他和斯坦夫人有个计划，”她解释说。
9. I explained that each person has different ideas of what freedom is.
   我解释说，每个人对于自由是什么都有不同的观点。
10. 'Let me explain, sir.' — 'Don't tell me about it. I don't want to know.'
    “您听我解释，先生。”——“别跟我说，我不想知道。”
11. Before she ran away, she left a note explaining her actions
    逃跑前，她留下一张便条解释原委。
12. Hospital discipline was broken. Amy would have to explain herself
    破坏了医院的纪律，埃米将不得不为自己辩解。
13. Explain why you didn't telephone
    说说你为什么没有打电话。
14. The receptionist apologized for the delay, explaining that it had been a hectic day.
    接待员为拖延而道歉，解释说这天太忙了。
15. I had met with him to explain the format of the programme and what we had in mind.
    我已经和他当面解释了我们节目的形式以及我们的想法。
16. Did you get that joke, Ann? I'll explain later
    安，听懂那个笑话了吗？我过会儿会解释。
17. Different hypotheses have been put forward to explain why these foods are more likely to cause problems.
    人们已经提出不同的假说来解释为什么这些食物更有可能带来问题。
18. To explain this, they hypothesise that galaxies must contain a great deal of missing matter which cannot be detected
    为了解释这一点，他们假定各星系一定包含了大量无法探测到的不明物质。
19. Let me explain why
    让我来解释为什么。
20. I shall try, with as much patience as is possible, to explain yet again
    我会尽可能耐心地试着再解释一遍。
21. I'll explain it nice and simply so you can understand.
    我会清楚简单地进行解释，以便能让你们明白。
22. They shouted him down when he tried to explain why Zaire needed an interim government
    当他试图解释为什么扎伊尔需要一个过渡政府时，他们大声叫嚷着把他的声音盖过去了。
23. This is what I will do. I will telephone Anna and explain.
    下面是我要做的：我要给安娜打电话解释清楚。
24. I'm going to have to explain to them that I can't pay them.
    我将不得不向他们解释我不能付钱给他们。
25. Oh, I can't explain it. It's just unreal. Everybody is so happy.
    啊，我都没法形容。就是太棒了，每个人都很高兴。
26. Don't try to explain away the situation. If you have made mistakes, just admit them.
    不要再分辩了，有错误就承认嘛！
27. He could not explain why it was so.
    他说不出个所以然来。
28. She managed to explain away my doubts.
    她的解释消除了我的怀疑。
29. I shall explain that later on.
    这一点我后面再作说明。
30. A mistake is a mistake. Don't try to explain it away.
    错了就错了，不要辩解。

  describe detail explain narrate【导航词义：描述，叙述】

  describe v. 描写，描述

〔辨析〕普通用词，指说明某人或某事物的细节，使有清晰的形象。

  detail v. 详述

〔辨析〕指详细说明关于某事的事实或信息。

  explain v. 阐明，说明

〔辨析〕指以一种清楚明了的方式讲解某事。

  narrate v. 〈正式〉叙述，描述

〔辨析〕指叙述经历或讲故事。

explain sth↔away

1. 为…作辩解
   to give reasons why sth is not your fault or why sth is not important
   1. First, I'll explain the rules of the game.
      首先我要说明一下游戏规则。
   2. It was difficult to explain the problem to beginners.
      对初学者解释这个问题很难。
   3. ‘Let me explain!’ he added helpfully.
      “让我来说明一下！”他热心地补充道。
   4. I explained that an ambulance would be coming soon.
      我解释说救护车很快就到。
   5. He explained who each person in the photo was.
      他对照片里的人一一作了介绍。
   6. Can you explain how the email system works?
      你能说明一下电子邮件系统的工作原理吗？
   7. She explained to them what to do in an emergency.
      她向他们说明了紧急情况下应采取的行动。
   8. ‘It works like this,’ she explained.
      “它是这样工作的。”她解释道。

v.

explain yourself

• 为自己的行为作说明（或解释）
  to give sb reasons for your behaviour, especially when they are angry or upset because of it
  1. I really don't see why I should have to explain myself to you.
     我真不明白我为什么非要向你解释我的行为不可。
• 把自己的意思解释清楚
  to say what you mean in a clear way
  1. Could you explain yourself a little more─I didn't understand.
     请把你的意思说得更清楚一点——我还不明白。

verb

1. serve as a reason or cause or justification of
   1. Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work
   2. Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again

   Synonym:    excuse

2. make plain and comprehensible
   1. He explained the laws of physics to his students

   Synonym:    explicate

3. define
   1. The committee explained their plan for fund-raising to the Dean