EXPOUND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does expound mean? 

• EXPOUND (verb)
  The verb EXPOUND has 2 senses:

1. add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

2. state

  Familiarity information: EXPOUND used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXPOUND (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they expound    ... he / she / it expounds   
Past simple: expounded   
Past participle: expounded   
-ing form: expounding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate

Context example:

She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation

Hypernyms (to "expound" is one way to...):

clarify; clear up; elucidate (make clear and (more) comprehensible)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "expound"):

detail (provide details for)

exposit; expound; set forth (state)

exemplify; illustrate; instance (clarify by giving an example of)

particularise; particularize; specialise; specialize; specify (be specific about)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

exponent (someone who expounds and interprets or explains)

expository (serving to expound or set forth)

expounding (a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic)

Sense 2

Meaning:

State

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

exposit; expound; set forth

Context example:

set forth one's reasons

Hypernyms (to "expound" is one way to...):

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate (add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "expound"):

depict; describe; draw (give a description of)

premise (set forth beforehand, often as an explanation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Light a cigar and let me expound.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I then expounded to Miss Mills what I had endeavoured, so very unsuccessfully, to expound to Dora.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Some make fun of it, some overpraise, and nearly all insist that I had a deep theory to expound, when I only wrote it for the pleasure and the money.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

But I am afraid I had a supreme satisfaction, of a personal and professional nature, in taking charge of Mr. Barkis's will, and expounding its contents.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She appeared to me to take great care of the Doctor, and to like him very much, though I never thought her vitally interested in the Dictionary: some cumbrous fragments of which work the Doctor always carried in his pockets, and in the lining of his hat, and generally seemed to be expounding to her as they walked about.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)