expound
/ɪkˈspaʊnd
/ /ɛkˈspaʊnd/verb [with object]
1Present and explain (a theory or idea) in detail: he was expounding a powerful argument [no object]: he declined to expound on his decision...
- Nardini wholeheartedly expounds the idea that those in the public eye are obliged to raise the profile of organisations who struggle to avert major crises.
- First, it is suggested that successive attempts to expound a Marxian theory of nature have see-sawed between naturalistic and social constructionist positions.
- Over the next 30 years he contributed 78 papers to international journals, many of them expounding his own theory of molecular attraction.
Synonyms
present, put forward, set forth, proffer, offer, advance, propose, propound, frame, give an account of, recount;
explain, give an explanation of, detail, spell out, describe, discuss, explicate, delineate, elucidate
elaborate on, expand on, expatiate on, dwell on, harp on, discuss at length
1.1Explain the meaning of (a literary or doctrinal work): the abbess expounded the scriptures to her nuns...
- Authors customarily used the commentary format not only to expound the works of Aristotle, but also as a vehicle for original philosophical theorizing.
- The commentator must know the whole of Aristotle in order that, having first proved that Aristotle is consistent with himself, he may expound Aristotle's works by means of Aristotle's works.
- In most cases the parables of later Jewish teachers were used to illustrate or expound Scripture.
Synonyms
explain, interpret, explicate, elucidate;
comment on, give a commentary on, annotate, gloss, illustrate
Derivatives
expounder
/ /ɛkˈspaʊndə / noun ...- Its expounders view the market-led development strategy as a means of achieving prosperity.
- O'Gorman was one of the principal expounders of functionalist architecture in Mexico.
- The most just exposition of the sacred texts, and relation of them to the issues and causes of the parish, gave the expounder a right to judge and to minister to spiritual needs.
Origin
Middle English expoune (in the sense 'explain (what is difficult)'): from Old French espon-, present tense stem of espondre, from Latin exponere 'expose, publish, explain', from ex- 'out' + ponere 'put'. The origin of the final -d (recorded from the Middle English period) is uncertain.