different between evidence vs explain

English

Etymology

From Middle English evidence, from Old French [Term?], from Latin evidentia (“clearness, in Late Latin a proof”), from evidens (“clear, evident”); see evident.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??v?d?ns/, /??v?d?ns/
• (US) IPA^(key): [??v???ns]
• Hyphenation: ev?i?dence

Noun

evidence (usually uncountable, plural evidences)

1. Facts or observations presented in support of an assertion.
   • 1748, David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding

     In our reasonings concerning matter of fact, there are all imaginable degrees of assurance, from the highest certainty to the lowest species of moral evidence. A wise man, therefore, proportions his belief to the evidence.

2. (law) Anything admitted by a court to prove or disprove alleged matters of fact in a trial.
3. One who bears witness.
   • 1820, Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer, volume 1, page 53:

     He recapitulated the Sybil’s story word by word, with the air of a man who is cross-examining an evidence, and trying to make him contradict himself.

4. A body of objectively verifiable facts that are positively indicative of, and/or exclusively concordant with, that one conclusion over any other.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with the term "evidence": documentary, physical, empirical, scientific, material, circumstantial, anectodal, objective, strong, weak, conclusive, hard

Derived terms

Related terms

• evident
• evidential

Translations

Verb

evidence (third-person singular simple present evidences, present participle evidencing, simple past and past participle evidenced)

1. (transitive) To provide evidence for, or suggest the truth of.

Usage notes

• To be distinguished from evince.

Translations

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:evidence.

Further reading

• evidence in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• evidence in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [??v?d?nt?s?]
• Rhymes: -?nts?

Noun

evidence f

1. records
2. registry, repository

Related terms

• See vize
• eviden?ní
• evidovat
• evidentní

See also

• záznamy
• databáze
• registr

Further reading

• evidence in P?íru?ní slovník jazyka ?eského, 1935–1957
• evidence in Slovník spisovného jazyka ?eského, 1960–1971, 1989

Friulian

Noun

evidence f (plural evidencis)

1. evidence

Middle French

Noun

evidence f (plural evidences)

1. evidence

Descendants

• French: évidence

English

Etymology

From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explan? (“I flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + plan? (“I flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced Old English ?ere??an.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?sple?n/, /?k?sple?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Verb

explain (third-person singular simple present explains, present participle explaining, simple past and past participle explained)

1. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.
2. To give a valid excuse for past behavior.
3. (obsolete) To make flat, smooth out.
4. (obsolete) To unfold or make visible.
   • April 14, 1684, John Evelyn, a letter sent to the Royal Society concerning the damage done to his gardens by the preceding winter

     The horse-chestnut is […] ready to explain its leaf.

5. (intransitive) To make something plain or intelligible.

Synonyms

• (give a sufficiently detailed report): expound, elaborate, recce

Derived terms

• afore-explained
• explain away
• explainer
• mansplain
• please explain
• -splain

Related terms

• explanation
• explanatory

Translations

Further reading

• explain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• explain in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• explain at OneLook Dictionary Search