Word Study
clarify
CIDE DICTIONARY
clarify, v. t. [F. clarifier, from L. clarificare; clarus clear + facere to make. See Clear, and Fact.].
- To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter; to defecate; to fine; -- said of liquids, as wine or sirup. Ure. [1913 Webster]
- To make clear; to free from obscurities; to brighten or illuminate. [1913 Webster]"To clarify his reason, and to rectify his will." [1913 Webster]
- To glorify. [1913 Webster]"Fadir, clarifie thi name." [1913 Webster]
clarify, v. i.
- To grow or become clear or transparent; to become free from feculent impurities, as wine or other liquid under clarification. [1913 Webster]
- To grow clear or bright; to clear up. [1913 Webster]"Whosoever hath his mind fraught with many thoughts, his wits and understanding do clarify and break up in the discoursing with another." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
clarify, v. (-ies, -ied)
1 tr. & intr. make or become clearer.
2 tr. a free (liquid, butter, etc.) from impurities. b make transparent. c purify.
1 tr. & intr. make or become clearer.
2 tr. a free (liquid, butter, etc.) from impurities. b make transparent. c purify.
Derivative
clarification n. clarificatory n. clarifier n.
Etymology
ME f. OF clarifier f. L clarus clear
THESAURUS
clarify
account for, allegorize, analyze, bolt, break down, clean, cleanse, clear, clear up, crack, decipher, decrassify, define, delineate, demonstrate, demythologize, depurate, disembroil, disentangle, disintricate, disinvolve, distill, edulcorate, elucidate, elute, enlighten, essentialize, euhemerize, exemplify, explain, explain away, explicate, exposit, expound, extract, filter, filtrate, formulate, get across, get over, give reason for, give the meaning, illuminate, illustrate, leach, lixiviate, make clear, make it clear, make plain, percolate, popularize, purify, put across, put over, rationalize, ravel, rectify, refine, screen, separate, shed light upon, show, show how, show the way, sieve, sift, simplify, solve, sort out, spell out, spiritualize, straighten out, strain, sublimate, sublime, throw light upon, try, unbraid, unclutter, uncoil, unfold, unknot, unlock, unmix, unravel, unscramble, unsnarl, untangle, unthread, untwine, untwist, unweave, unwind, vulgarize, winnowROGET THESAURUS
clarify
Cleanness
VB be clean, render clean, clean, cleanse, mundify, rinse, wring, flush, full, wipe, mop, sponge, scour, swab, scrub, brush up, wash, lave, launder, buck, absterge, deterge, decrassify, clear, purify, depurate, despumate, defecate, purge, expurgate, elutriate, lixiviate, edulcorate, clarify, refine, rack, filter, filtrate, drain, strain, disinfect, fumigate, ventilate, deodorize, whitewash, castrate, emasculate, sift, winnow, pick, weed, comb, rake, brush, sweep, rout out, clear out, sweep out, make a clean sweep of.Interpretation
VB interpret, explain, define, construe, translate, render, do into, turn into, transfuse the sense of, find out, 1 the meaning of, read, spell out, make out, decipher, unravel, disentangle, find the key of, enucleate, resolve, solve, read between the lines, account for, find the cause, tell the cause of, throw light upon, shed light upon, shed new light upon, shed fresh light upon, clear up, clarify, elucidate, illustrate, exemplify, unfold, expound, comment upon, annotate, popularize, take in a particular sense, understand in a particular sense, receive in a particular sense, accept in a particular sense, understand by, put a construction on, be given to understand.For further exploring for "clarify" in Webster Dictionary Online
