explain yourself• Censure gives Mr Wahid three months to explain himself.• I knew I could explain myself.• I regard this as part of my life, a duty to explain myself.• When, eventually, he was admitted to the presence of the Chairman he would have perhaps fifteen minutes to explain himself.• I had explained myself, as I always did, but I could scarcely explain myself away.• Yet now, commanded to appear before electedofficials, he had to explain himself, give an accounting of his views.• He waited for Ballater to explain himself or to state the reason for his visit.• John doesn't make excuses or explain himself to anybody.• She tried to speak, to call for help, to explain herself, to scream, but no words would come.• No, that's not what I meant. I guess I didn't explain myself very well.
4explain something ↔ awayphrasal verbphr vREASONto make something seem less important or bad by giving reasons for it 为〔某事〕作辩解
The difference in the treatment they receive is hard to explain away.
很难为他们受到的不同待遇辩解。
Examples from the Corpus
explain away• But the responses at the momentrange from making excuses to explaining the problems away.• I had explained myself, as I always did, but I could scarcely explain myself away.• Not only do they not do this but when presented with such evidence they explain it away.• Some try to explain the miracles away and say that they did not happen.• To explain something is not to explain it away and to understand something is not to underestimate its value.• As much as he tried to explain it away, he just got in deeper.• But because of the evidence neither can we explain it away: there is the beginning of the rationality of faith.• I hung it as a joke, but I stopped trying to explain it away to guests when they commented.
nGrammar
You explain something to someone:
Alan explained the system to me.
✗Don’t say: Alan explained me the system. | Alan explained to me the system.
THESAURUS
explain to give someone the information they need to understand something 解释,说明
She explained how to use the software.
她解释了怎么使用这个软件。
Doctors usually explain the risks of the treatment to patients.
医生一般都会向患者说明治疗有何风险。
tell to explain something. People often use tell instead of explain in everydayconversation 告诉;说明〔在日常对话中,人们常用tell,而不用explain〕
He told me how to get to his house.
他告诉我去他家怎么走。
The book tells you how to improve your health through diet.
这本书告诉你怎样通过饮食改善健康状况。
show to explain to someone how to do something by doing it while they watch you 〔通过演示〕解释,说明
Ellen showed me how to work the coffee maker.
埃伦教我怎样使用煮咖啡机。
demonstrate /ˈdemənstreɪt/ to explain to someone how to do something by doing it while they watch you, especially when it is part of your job 〔尤指出于工作职责而〕示范,演示
The cabin crew demonstrated the safety procedures to the passengers.
客舱乘务员向乘客演示了安全规程。
A qualified instructor will demonstrate how to use the equipment properly.
将有一名合格的教练示范如何正确使用这些设备。
go through something to explain something carefully, especially one step at a time 〔尤指一步步地〕详细说明某事物
Mrs. Riddell went through the homework assignment.
里德尔夫人仔细地讲解家庭作业。
set out something to explain a series of ideas, reasons or opinions in an organized way in writing or in a speech 〔有条理地以书面或口头形式〕陈述[阐明]某事物
In his speech, he intended to set out the party’s policies on education.
他的发言旨在陈述该政党的教育方针。
Examples from the Corpus
explain• But the dynamics of his thinking have never been easy to explain.• It's not so complicated - let me explain.• Let me show you - it's too difficult to explain.• She just doesn't like me. How else can you explain her behaviour?• I had nothing in my vocabulary of human behavior to explain him.• We were all puzzled: what could explain his sudden change of mind?• The doctorexplained how the clinicoperates.• The reason this requiresexplaining is that young women are different from other human beings in this respect.• If you don't get the joke, I'll explain it to you later.• I don't have time to explain now - just come with me quickly!• Sarah explained that she hadn't been feeling well recently.• We listened carefully while Pam explained the process.• Could you explain the rules of the game to me, please?• I would prefer the teacher to explain things rather than the computer.• Shakespeare took the time to explain this; director Jocelyn Moorhouse does not.• It was difficult explaining to the children why their father was leaving home.• Can you explain what the poemmeans?• The problem may explain why Brady has not made more of an impact since exploding on the scene three years ago.• This may, inpart, explain why currentapproaches seem so distant from those applied to other periods of the past.• She couldn't sleep last night, which explains why she was in such a bad mood this morning.• Doctors are unable to explain why the diseasespread so quickly.• This explains why the extent of the use of crack is not necessarily indicated by the scale of seizures.
explain (to somebody) why/how/what etc• He and Darcy have had a dispute, which he explains to Elizabeth.• Oh, how could she explain?• It is not necessary to explain to me why Anthony falls under the spell of a beautiful woman.• As riders and trainers we must explain to the horse what is acceptable and what is not.• Offer them coffee or a drink, explain exactly what is included in the sale, and sell your home.• Can you explain simply what one purpose or one redeemingquality that movieembraced?• Most classanalysts do not explain in detail howpolicydecisions are actually made.
explain that• But Giap spurned the advice, explaining that he could not desert his comrades.• Then she explained that I was there, and that I was hoping to talk to students.• Jackexplained that it had been his father driving the car.• Eisenhower was asked about the case and explained that it was a matter of stateconcern.• Nonplussed, Loretta explained that she had driven right through the village without finding it.• Quinn explains thatspending on roads and other infrastructureaccounts for most of the deficit.• Jesse Young explains that... there was a good deal of a panic at the beginning of the battle.
Originexplain
(1500-1600)Latinexplanare“to make level, unfold”, from planus“level, flat”