1. (v.) To flatten; to spread out; to unfold; to expand.

2. (v.) To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to expound; to unfold and illustrate the meaning of; as, to explain a chapter of the Bible.

3. (v. i.) To give an explanation.

absolve account account for acquit aid allegorize analyze answer bottom break down clarify clear clear the way clear up condone construe crack cry sour grapes debug decipher decode define delineate demonstrate demythologize describe destigmatize detail disclose discourse disentangle divine do do justice to dope dope out ease elucidate enlighten euhemerize exculpate excuse exemplify exonerate expedite explain away explicate exposit expound extenuate facilitate fathom figure out find out find the answer find the solution get get across get over get right give reason for give the meaning grease grease the ways grease the wheels guess guess right harangue hasten have it help along hit it hold forth illuminate illustrate interpret justify lecture legitimate legitimatize loose lubricate make clear make it clear make out make plain make way for moralize oil open the lock open the way open up palliate pave the way plumb point a moral popularize preach prepare the way psych psych out purge put across put over puzzle out quicken rationalize ravel ravel out read a lesson rehabilitate reinstate remove friction resolve restore riddle run interference for sermonize shed light upon show show how show the way simplify smooth smooth the way soap the ways solve sort out speed spell out throw light upon unbar unblock unclog undo unfold unjam unlock unravel unriddle unscramble untangle untwist unweave vindicate vulgarize warrant work work out