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单词 to explain away
释义

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to explain away
to explain away
1. transitive. Originally: to modify or do away with (a meaning, etc.) by explanation. Now usually: to explain (facts, events, etc.) so as to deprive of (esp. offensive or awkward) force or significance; to (seek to) excuse or extenuate by offering an explanation.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > refutation, disproof > refute, disprove [verb (transitive)] > and remove force of
to explain away1688
to live down1730
1688 J. Harrington Some Refl. Pietas Romana & Parisiensis 61 You might have spar'd your attemt to explain away the instances.
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 9 Those explain'd the Meaning quite away.
1729 Bp. J. Butler Serm. in Pref. Wks. II. 22 There is a strange affectation in many people of explaining away all particular affections.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 741 His words were taken down; and, though he tried to explain them away, he was sent to the Tower.
1877 J. B. Mozley Univ. Serm. (ed. 3) vii. 154 To explain away the natural meaning of this part of Scripture language.
1885 Law Rep.: Chancery Div. 29 293 He seeks to explain away the authorities we rely on.
1913 J. M. Baldwin Hist. Psychol. II. iv. i. 8 Rationalism asserts the originality of reason, and explains away or ignores sensation.
1958 Pop. Sci. June 84/2 (caption) Hardly any of the questioned drivers..resorted to fictions to explain away their erratic behavior.
2008 Yoga Jrnl. Oct. 58/3 In this version, her wildness is explained away as purely symbolic or metaphorical.
2. transitive. to explain oneself away: to offer an explanation for one's (esp. offensive or awkward) speech or behaviour; to make excuses for oneself.
ΚΠ
1786 J. H. Tooke Επεα Πτεροεντα Introd. 16 You shall not be permitted to explain yourself away.
1867 All Year Round Christmas No. 17/1 Now, you see, when Obenreizer speaks,—in other words, when he is allowed to explain himself away,—he comes out right enough; but when he has not the opportunity of explaining himself away, he comes out rather wrong.
1903 E. W. Pugh Stumbling-Block ii. 105 His train leaves Charing Cross at midnight. You must be on the platform before then to beg his forgiveness—explain yourself away—make it up with him.
1977 H. Spector Bastard in Ragged Suit 85 Pavolovsky was a queer creature, one of those bohemians always explaining himself away, always getting drunk with self-love, with beautiful dreams of creation..but it was all conversation, nothing ever came of it.
2008 ‘R. Bowen’ Her Royal Spyness xi. 123 Bumping into Binky had been bad enough, but he was easy to fool. I couldn't think how I'd explain myself away to someone stiff and correct like Whiffy Featherstonehaugh.
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更新时间:2024/12/23 8:47:15