clarify

clarify
clar|i|fy [ˈklærıfaı] v past tense and past participle clarified present participle clarifying third person singular clarifies [T]
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: clarifier, from Late Latin clarificare, from Latin clarus; CLEAR1]
1.) formal to make something clearer or easier to understand
clarify issues/a statement/matters etc
Could you clarify one or two points for me?
Reporters asked him to clarify his position (=say exactly what his beliefs are) on welfare reform.
clarify how/what etc
The report aims to clarify how these conclusions were reached.
2.) to make something cleaner or purer by heating it
clarified butter

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • clarify — I verb articulate, bare, bring to light, clear up, comment upon, construe, decipher, define, delineate, deliquare, demonstrate, disentangle, elucidate, enlighten, exemplify, explain, explicate, expose, exposit, expound, free from ambiguity, free… …   Law dictionary

  • Clarify — Clar i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Clarified}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Clarifying}.] [F. clarifier, from L. clarificare; clarus clear + facere to make. See {Clear}, and {Fact}.] 1. To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter; to defecate; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Clarify — Clar i*fy, v. i. 1. To grow or become clear or transparent; to become free from feculent impurities, as wine or other liquid under clarification. [1913 Webster] 2. To grow clear or bright; to clear up. [1913 Webster] Whosoever hath his mind… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • clarify — [v1] explain, make clear analyze, break down, clear up, define, delineate, draw a picture, elucidate, formulate, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, make perfectly clear, make plain, resolve, settle, shed light on*, simplify, spell out*,… …   New thesaurus

  • clarify — [klar′ə fī΄] vt., vi. clarified, clarifying [ME clarifien < OFr clarifier < LL(Ec) clarificare, to make illustrious < L clarus, famous, CLEAR + facere, to make, DO1] 1. to make or become clear and free from impurities: said esp. of… …   English World dictionary

  • clarify — early 14c., from O.Fr. clarifiier (12c.), from L.L. clarificare to make clear, also to glorify, from L. clarificus brilliant, from clarus clear, distinct (see CLEAR (Cf. clear)) + root of facere to make, do (see FACTITIOUS (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • clarify — ► VERB (clarifies, clarified) 1) make more comprehensible. 2) melt (butter) to separate out the impurities. DERIVATIVES clarification noun clarifier noun. ORIGIN Old French clarifier, from Latin clarus clear …   English terms dictionary

  • clarify — 01. I asked the boss to [clarify] her instructions. 02. I don t quite understand what you mean. Can you [clarify] that last point for me? 03. We will need some [clarification] from the head office before we can sign the contract. 04. This… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • clarify */ — UK [ˈklærəfaɪ] / US [ˈklerɪˌfaɪ] verb [transitive] Word forms clarify : present tense I/you/we/they clarify he/she/it clarifies present participle clarifying past tense clarified past participle clarified 1) formal to explain something more… …   English dictionary

  • clarify — verb (T) to make something clearer and easier to understand: Can you clarify that statement? | clarify how/what etc: The report aims to clarify how these conclusions were reached. | clarify your position (=tell people what you think about a… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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