different between expose vs explain

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French exposer (“to lay open, set forth”), from Latin exp?n? (“set forth”), with contamination from poser (“to lay, place”). Doublet of expound, via Old French espondre (“to set forth, explain”), from the same Latin term.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?sp??z/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?spo?z/, /?k?spo?z/
• Rhymes: -??z

Verb

expose (third-person singular simple present exposes, present participle exposing, simple past and past participle exposed)

2. (transitive) To reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to.
4. (transitive) To subject photographic film to light thereby recording an image.
5. (transitive) To abandon, especially an unwanted baby in the wilderness.
   • 1893, Fridtjof Nansen, Eskimo Life, page 152:

     This they do, as a rule, by exposing the child or throwing it into the sea.

6. To submit to an active (mostly dangerous) substance like an allergen, ozone, nicotine, solvent, or to any other stress, in order to test the reaction, resistance, etc.
7. (computing, transitive) To make available to other parts of a program, or to other programs.
   • 2000, Robert C. Martin, More C++ Gems (page 266)

     In the OO world, the word is to hide the structure of the data, and expose only functionality. OO designers expose an object to the world in terms of the services it provides.

Synonyms

• (to reveal): bare, nake; see Thesaurus:reveal
  • (a hidden aspect of one's character): bewray
  • (to remove clothing): doff; see Thesaurus:undress

Derived terms

• expose oneself
• exposure
• exposition

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k.spoz/

Verb

expose

1. first-person singular present indicative of exposer
2. third-person singular present indicative of exposer
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of exposer
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of exposer
5. second-person singular imperative of exposer

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