Word Study
expatiate
CIDE DICTIONARY
expatiate, v. i. [L. expatiatus, exspatiatus, p. p. of expatiari, exspatiari, to expatiate; ex out + spatiari to walk about spread out, fr. spatium space. See Space.].
- To range at large, or without restraint. [1913 Webster]"Bids his free soul expatiate in the skies." [1913 Webster]
- To enlarge in discourse or writing; to be copious in argument or discussion; to descant. [1913 Webster]"He expatiated on the inconveniences of trade." [1913 Webster]
expatiate, v. t.
To expand; to spread; to extend; to diffuse; to broaden. [1913 Webster]
"Afford art an ample field in which to expatiate itself." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
expatiate, v.intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon) speak or write at length or in detail.
Derivative
expatiation n. expatiatory adj.
Etymology
L exspatiari digress (as EX-(1), spatium SPACE)
THESAURUS
expatiate
amplify, descant, detail, develop, dilate, discuss, dissert, dissertate, elaborate, enlarge, enlarge upon, evolve, expand, explicate, narrate, particularize, ramble, recite, recount, rehearse, rehearse in extenso, relate, relate at large, sermonize, unfold, work outROGET THESAURUS
expatiate
Diffuseness
VB be diffuse, run out on, descant, expatiate, enlarge, dilate, amplify, expand, inflate, launch out, branch out, rant, maunder, prose, harp upon, dwell on, insist upon, digress, ramble, battre la campagne, beat about the bush, perorate, spin a long yarn, protract, spin out, swell out, draw out, battologize.Speech
VB speak of, say, utter, pronounce, deliver, give utterance to, utter forth, pour forth, breathe, let fall, come out with, rap out, blurt out have on one's lips, have at the end of one's tongue, have at the tip of one's tongue, break silence, open one's lips, open one's mouth, lift one's voice, raise one's voice, give the tongue, wag the tongue, talk, outspeak, put in a word or two, hold forth, make a speech, deliver a speech, speechify, harangue, declaim, stump, flourish, recite, lecture, sermonize, discourse, be on one's legs, have one's say, say one's say, spout, rant, rave, vent one's fury, vent one's rage, expatiate, speak one's mind, go on the stump, take the stump, soliloquize, tell, speak to, talk together, be eloquent, have a tongue in one's head, have the gift of the gab, pass one's lips, escape one's lips, fall from the lips, fall from the mouth.Loquacity
VB be loquacious, talk glibly, pour forth, patter, prate, palaver, prose, chatter, prattle, clack, jabber, jaw, blather, blatter, blether, rattle, rattle on, twaddle, twattle, babble, gabble, outtalk, talk oneself out of breath, talk oneself hoarse, expatiate, gossip, din in the ears, talk at random, talk nonsense, be hoarse with talking.Journey
VB travel, journey, course, take a journey, go a journey, take a walk, go out for walk, have a run, take the air, flit, take wing, migrate, emigrate, trek, rove, prowl, roam, range, patrol, pace up and down, traverse, scour the country, traverse the country, peragrate, circumambulate, perambulate, nomadize, wander, ramble, stroll, saunter, hover, go one's rounds, straggle, gad, gad about, expatiate, walk, march, step, tread, pace, plod, wend, go by shank's mare, promenade, trudge, tramp, stalk, stride, straddle, strut, foot it, hoof it, stump, bundle, bowl along, toddle, paddle, tread a path, take horse, ride, drive, trot, amble, canter, prance, fisk, frisk, caracoler, caracole, gallop, embark, board, set out, hit the road, get going, get underway, peg on, jog on, wag on, shuffle on, stir one's stumps, bend one's steps, bend one's course, make one's way, find one's way, wend one's way, pick one's way, pick one's way, thread one's way, plow one's way, slide, glide, coast, skim, skate, march in procession, file on, defile, go to, repair to, resort to, hie to, betake oneself to.For further exploring for "expatiate" in Webster Dictionary Online