explain
verb [ I or T ] uk/ɪkˈspleɪn/ us/ɪkˈspleɪn/
A2 解释;说明;阐明
to make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving information about it
If there's anything you don't understand, I'll be happy to explain. 如果你有什么不懂的地方，我会很乐意为你讲解。
The teacher explained the rules to the children. 老师向孩子们说明规则。
[ + question word ] Our guide explained where the cathedral was. 导游给我们讲解了大教堂的位置。
He explained how the machine worked. 他解释了这台机器的工作原理。
Please could you explain why you're so late. 你能否解释一下你迟到这么久的原因？
[ + that ] She explained that she was going to stay with her sister. 她解释说她要去和妹妹一起住。
[ + speech ] "Someone must have hit the wrong button," an official explained. “一定有人误碰了按钮，”一位官员解释说。
Molly asked the teacher if she could explain herself a little more clearly (= say more clearly what she meant). 莫莉请求老师能否讲得更清楚些。
No one has been able to explain (= give the reason for) the accident. 还没有人能解释事故的原因。
explain yourself 为自己的行为作出说明（或解释）
to give reasons for your behaviour
He hadn't been home for three days so I asked him to explain himself. 他一连3天没有回家，所以我要他解释一下怎么回事儿。
I'm not going to explain myself to someone who has never done a day's work in their life.
If they get the video, you'll be explaining yourself to a police officer in the very near future.
If they catch us in here, we're going to have a hard time explaining ourselves.
Why would you do such a thing? Go ahead - explain yourselves.
- More examples
- She tried to explain what had happened but he kept interrupting her.
- Any decent teacher should be able to explain the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs.
- Pay attention to what she's saying because she won't explain it a second time.
- She painstakingly explained how the machine worked.
- This booklet about the project explains things in an easy, non-technical way.
Phrasal verb
explain something away 为…辩解;对…加以解释以减轻其严重性（或避免被指责等）
to avoid blame for something that has happened by making it seem not important or not your fault
I don't know how you're going to explain away that dent you made in Dad's car. 你把爸爸的车撞出了个坑，我看你怎样解释才能过这一关。