- explain oneself
- phrasal to clarify one's statements or the reasons for one's conduct
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
explain oneself
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explain oneself — {v. phr.} 1. To make your meaning plainer; make your first statement clear. * /When we didn t understand Fritz, he went on to explain himself./ 2. To give a good reason for something you did or failed to do which seems wrong. * /When Jack brought … Dictionary of American idioms
explain oneself — {v. phr.} 1. To make your meaning plainer; make your first statement clear. * /When we didn t understand Fritz, he went on to explain himself./ 2. To give a good reason for something you did or failed to do which seems wrong. * /When Jack brought … Dictionary of American idioms
explain oneself — phrasal : to make clear the meaning of one s statements or the reasons for one s conduct * * * expand on what one has said in order to make one s meaning clear ■ give an account of one s motives or conduct in order to excuse or justify oneself he … Useful english dictionary
explain oneself — give information about oneself, account for one s behavior or actions, make oneself understandable, express oneself … English contemporary dictionary
explain\ oneself — v. phr. 1. To make your meaning plainer; make your first statement clear. When we didn t understand Fritz, he went on to explain himself. 2. To give a good reason for something you did or failed to do which seems wrong. When Jack brought Mary… … Словарь американских идиом
explain oneself — excuse or justify one s behaviour. → explain … English new terms dictionary
explain — [ek splān′, iksplān′] vt. [ME explanen < L explanare, to flatten < ex , out + planare, to make level < planus, level (see PLANE2): sp. infl. by PLAIN1] 1. to make clear, plain, or understandable 2. to give the meaning or interpretation… … English World dictionary
explain — ► VERB 1) make clear by giving a detailed description. 2) give a reason or justification for. 3) (explain oneself) excuse or justify one s motives or conduct. 4) (explain away) minimize the significance of (something awkward) by giving an excuse… … English terms dictionary
explain — v.tr. 1 make clear or intelligible with detailed information etc. (also absol. : let me explain). 2 (foll. by that + clause) say by way of explanation. 3 account for (one s conduct etc.). Phrases and idioms: explain away minimize the significance … Useful english dictionary
explain — verb 1》 make (something) clear by providing more detail. 2》 give a reason or justification for. ↘(explain oneself) excuse or justify one s behaviour. ↘(explain something away) minimize the significance of something embarrassing by giving… … English new terms dictionary
