Clarify
/ˈklærɪfaɪ/
Definitions
To make something easy to understand; to remove confusion or ambiguity.
/ˈklærɪfaɪ/
To make something clear or easier to understand.
Please clarify your answer.
💡 Simply: Imagine a muddy puddle. Clarifying it means making it clear and easy to see through, so you can understand what's at the bottom. It's like removing confusion.
👶 For kids: To make something easy to understand.
More Examples
He clarified the situation by providing more details.
How It's Used
"The teacher clarified the instructions for the assignment."
"The lawyer clarified the terms of the contract."
Idioms & expressions
to clarify the air
To resolve a misunderstanding or conflict.
"Let's clarify the air and talk about what happened."
From Latin *clarificare, from clarus ('clear') + -ficare ('to make').
The word 'clarify' has been used in much the same way for centuries, emphasizing the removal of obscurity.
Memory tip
Think of 'clarify' as making something 'clear' and 'easy to see'.
Word Origin
"to make clear"