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consequence. Lucan is the only author of consideration among the Latin poets who was not explained for . . . the Dauphin. Addison.

The method of construing, interpreting, or explaining a declaration or fact; an attributed sense or meaning; understanding; explanation; interpretation; sense. Any person . . . might, by the sort of construction that would be put on this act, become liable to the penalties of treason. Hallam. Strictly, the term [constr…

as to exhibit the structure, arrangement, or connection of, or to discover the sense; to explain the construction of; to interpret; to translate.

a conceit. He ruined himself and all that trusted in him by crotchets that he could never explain to any rational man. De Quincey.

Anything that is very puzzling or difficult to explain. Dr. Sheridan. The perpetual crux of New Testament chronologists. Strauss.

eavens, which by its motion was supposed to carry round all those within it), in order to explain certain movements of the heavently bodies. -- Crystalline lens (Anat.), the capsular lenslike body in the eye, serving to focus the rays of light. It consists of rodlike cells derived from the external embryonic epitheliu…

One who explains the decalogue. J. Gregory.

Capable of being defined, limited, or explained; determinable; describable by definition; ascertainable; as, definable limits; definable distinctions or regulations; definable words. -- De*fin"a*bly, adv.

determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term. They define virtue to be life ordered according to nature. Robynson (More's Utopia).

One who defines or explains.

Act of ascertaining and explaining the signification; a description of a thing by its properties; an explanation of the meaning of a word or term; as, the definition of "circle;" the definition of "wit;" an exact definition; a loose definition. Definition being nothing but making another understand by words what the te…

To exhibit and explain (a dissection or other anatomical preparation).

One who explains geological phenomena by the Noachian deluge. Lyell.

To make clear; to clear up what is obscure or not understood; to explain.

Capable of being uttered or explained; utterable. Barrow.

e of elasticity (Geom.), the pedal surface of an ellipsoid (see Pedal); a surface used in explaining the phenomena of double refraction and their relation to the elastic force of the luminous ether in crystalline media.

One who explains or elucidates; an expositor.

To translate into the English language; to Anglicize; hence, to interpret; to explain. Those gracious acts . . . may be Englished more properly, acts of fear and dissimulation. Milton. Caxton does not care to alter the French forms and words in the book which he was Englishing. T. L. K. Oliphant.

An action, mode of action, or thing, which cannot be satisfactorily explained; a puzzle; as, his conduct is an enigma.

Relating to or resembling an enigma; not easily explained or accounted for; darkly expressed; obscure; puzzling; as, an enigmatical answer.