| 释义 |
explanatory, a. and n.|ɛkˈsplænətərɪ|
[f. as prec. + -ory.]
A. adj.
1. Serving or adapted to explain (something), containing or helping to an explanation. Const. of. Explanatory Act: an Act of Parliament passed to explain the meaning, drift, or application of a previous Act.
1618Bolton Florus To Rdr. 2 The words..here and there inserted in a different letter..are for the most part explanatory of the Authors meaning. 1672Essex Papers (Camden) I. 1 Y⊇ seaven yeers granted for it, in y⊇ Explanatory Act, are neere Expired. 1753Hogarth Anal. Beauty 1 A short essay, accompanied with two explanatory prints. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. ix. 326 To guard against misconception, an explanatory document was drawn up by the government. 1883Proctor in Knowledge 7 Sept. 156/1, I feel tempted to lay down in despair the explanatory pen.
2. Of persons, their qualities, etc.: Having the function of explaining, disposed or ready to give explanation.
1743Walpole Lett. H. Mann (1834) I. lxxxix. 313, I find you still overwhelmed with Richcourt's folly and the Admiral's explanatory ignorance. 1756Foote Eng. fr. Paris i. Wks. 1799 I. 96 The law is an oracular idol, you are explanatory ministers. 1848Dickens Dombey vi. 59 He rendered himself as explanatory as he could.
†B. n. = explanation 2. Obs.
1650R. Hollingworth Exerc. conc. Usurped Powers 49 This may be the best explanatorie of that.
Hence exˈplanatorily adv. exˈplanatoriness, the quality of being explanatory.
1865Dickens Mut. Fr. i. xii, The city which Mr. Podsnap so explanatorily called ‘London, Londres.’ 1870R. Broughton Red as Rose I. 208 Miss Craven has had a fall..he remarks explanatorily.
1730–6Bailey (folio), Explanatoriness. 1885Voices crying in Wilderness iv. 119 A sort of general explanatoriness that seemed intended to check further questions. |