Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IL-LUS'TRATE, v.t. [Fr. illustrer; L. illustro; in and lustro, to illuminate. See Luster.]

1. To make clear, bright or luminous.
2. To brighten with honor; to make distinguished. Matter to me of glory! whom their hate / Illustrates. Milton.
3. To brighten; to make glorious, or to display the glory of; as, to illustrate the perfections of God.
4. To explain or elucidate; to make clear, intelligible or obvious, what is dark or obscure; as, to illustrate a passage of Scripture by comments, or of a profane author by a gloss.