Emily Dickinson Lexicon

EX-PLAIN-ING, ppr.

Expounding; illustrating; interpreting; opening to the understanding; clearing of obscurity.

EX-PLA-NA'TION, n. [L. explanatio.]

1. The act of explaining, expounding or interpreting; exposition; illustration; interpretation; the act of clearing from obscurity and making intelligible; as, the explanation of a passage in Scripture, or of a contract or treaty.
2. The sense given by an expounder or interpreter.
3. A mutual exposition of terms, meanings or motives, with a view to adjust a misunderstanding, and reconcile differences. Hence, reconciliation, agreement or good understanding of parties who have been at variance. The parties have come to an explanation.

EX-PLAN'A-TO-RI-NESS, n.

A being explanatory.

EX-PLAN'A-TO-RY, a.

Serving to explain; containing explanation; as, explanatory notes.

EX-PLE'TION, n. [L. expletio.]

Accomplishment; fulfillment. [Little used.] Killingbeck.

EX'PLE-TIVE, a. [Fr. expletif, from L. expleo, to fill.]

Filling; added for supply or ornament.

EX'PLE-TIVE, n.

In language, a word or syllable inserted to fill a vacancy, or for ornament. The Greek language abounds with expletives.

EX'PLE-TO-RY, a.

Serving to fill.

EX'PLI-CA-BLE, a. [L. explicabilis. See Explicate.]

1. Explainable; that may be unfolded to the mind; that may be made intelligible. Many difficulties in old authors are not explicable.
2. That may be accounted for. The conduct and measures of the administration are not explicable by the usual rules of judging.

EX'PLI-CATE, v.t. [L. explico, to unfold; ex and plico, to fold; Fr. expliquer; Sp. explicar; It. spiegare.]

1. To unfold; to expand; to open. “They explicate the leaves.” Blackmore. [In this sense, the word is not common, and hardly admissible.]
2. To unfold the meaning or sense; to explain; to clear of difficulties or obscurity; to interpret. The last verse of his last satyr is not yet sufficiently explicated. Dryden.

EX'PLI-CA-TED, pp.

Unfolded; explained.

EX'PLI-CA-TING, ppr.

Unfolding; explaining; interpreting.

EX-PLI-CA'TION, n.

1. The act of opening or unfolding.
2. The act of explaining; explanation; exposition; interpretation; as, the explication of the parables of our Savior.
3. The sense given by an expositor or interpreter. Johnson.

EX'PLI-CA-TIVE, or EX'PLI-CA-TO-RY, a.

Serving to unfold or explain; tending to lay open to the understanding. Watts.

EX'PLI-CA-TOR, n.

One who unfolds or explains; an expounder.

EX-PLIC'IT, a. [L. explicitus, part. of explico, to unfold.]

1. Literally, unfolded. Hence, plain in language; open to the understanding; clear, not obscure or ambiguous; express, not merely implied. An explicit proposition or declaration is that in which the words, in their common acceptation, express the true meaning of the person who utters them, and in which there is no ambiguity or disguise.
2. Plain; open; clear; unreserved; having no disguised meaning or reservation; applied to persons. He was explicit in his terms.

EX-PLIC'IT, n.

A word formerly used at the conclusion of books, as finis is now used.

EX-PLIC'IT-LY, adv.

Plainly; expressly; without duplicity; without disguise or reservation of meaning; not by inference or implication. He explicitly avows his intention.

EX-PLIC'IT-NESS, n.

Plainness of language or expression; clearness; direct expression of ideas or intention, without reserve or ambiguity.

EX-PLODE, v.i. [L. explodo; ex and plaudo, to utter a burst of sound, from the root of loud.]

Properly, to burst forth, as sound; to utter a report with sudden violence. Hence, to burst and expand with force and a violent report, as an elastic fluid. We say, gunpowder explodes, on the application of fire; a volcano explodes; a meteor explodes.

EX-PLODE, v.t.

1. To decry or reject with noise; to express disapprobation of, with noise or marks of contempt; as, to explode a play on the stage. Hence,
2. To reject with any marks of disapprobation or disdain; to treat with contempt, and drive from notice; to drive into disrepute; or in general, to condemn; reject; to cry down. Astrology is now exploded.
3. To drive out with violence and noise. [Little used.] The kindled powder exploded the ball. Blackmore.

EX-PLOD-ED, pp.

Driven away by hisses or noise; rejected with disapprobation or contempt; condemned; cried down.

EX-PLOD-ER, n.

One who explodes; a hisser; one who rejects.

EX-PLOD-ING, ppr.

Bursting and expanding with force and a violent report; rejecting with marks of disapprobation or contempt; rejecting; condemning.

EX-PLOIT', n. [Fr. exploit; Norm. exploit, esploit, dispatch; expleiter, to be dispatched, exercised or employed; plait, dispatch; Arm. espled, espledi, explet.]

1. A deed or act; more especially, a heroic act; a deed of renown; a great or noble achievement; as, the exploits of Alexander, of Cesar, of Washington. [Exploiture, in a like sense, is not in use.]
2. In a ludicrous sense, a great act of wickedness.