explicate

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ex·pli·cate / ˈekspliˌkāt/ • v. [tr.] analyze and develop (an idea or principle) in detail: attempting to explicate the relationship between crime and economic forces. ∎  analyze (a literary work) in order to reveal its meaning.DERIVATIVES: ex·pli·ca·tion / ˌekspliˈkāshən/ n.ex·pli·ca·tive / -ˌkātiv/ adj.ex·pli·ca·tor / -ˌkātər/ n.

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