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Webster 1913 Edition

Explore

Ex-plore′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Explored
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Exploring
.]
[L.
explorare
to explore;
ex
out+
plorare
to cry out aloud,prob. orig., to cause to flow; perh. akin to E.
flow
: cf. F.
explorer
.]
1.
To seek for or after; to strive to attain by search; to look wisely and carefully for.
[Obs.]
Explores
the lost, the wandering sheep directs.
Pope.
2.
To search through or into; to penetrate or range over for discovery; to examine thoroughly;
as, to
explore
new countries or seas; to
explore
the depths of science.
“Hidden frauds [to] explore.”
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition

Explore

EXPLO'RE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. exploro; ex and ploro, to cry out, to wail, to bawl. The compound appears to convey a very different sense from the simple verb ploro; but the primary sense is to stretch, strain, drive; applied to the voice, it is to strain or press out sounds or words; applied to the eyes, it is to stretch or reach, as in prying curiosity.]
1.
To search for making discovery; to view with care; to examine closely by the eye.
Moses sent spies to explore the land of Canaan.
2.
To search by any means; to try; as, to explore the deep by a plummet or lead.
3.
To search or pry into; to scrutinize; to inquire with care; to examine closely with a view to discover truth; as, to explore the depths of science.

Definition 2024

explore

explore

See also: exploré

English

Verb

explore ‎(third-person singular simple present explores, present participle exploring, simple past and past participle explored)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) To seek for something or after someone.
  2. (transitive) To examine or investigate something systematically.
    The committee has been exploring alternative solutions to the problem at hand.‎
    • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
      Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.
  3. (transitive) To travel somewhere in search of discovery.
    It was around that time that the expedition began exploring the Arctic Circle.‎
  4. (intransitive, medicine) To examine diagnostically.
  5. (transitive) To (seek) experience first hand.
    It is normal for a boy of this age to be exploring his sexuality.‎
  6. (intransitive) To be engaged exploring in any of the above senses.
    He was too busy exploring to notice his son needed his guidance.‎
  7. (intransitive) To wander without any particular aim or purpose.
    The boys explored all around till cold and hunger drove them back to the campfire one by one.‎
    • 1909, Archibald Marshall, The Squire's Daughter, chapterI:
      They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups.
  8. (transitive) To seek sexual variety, to sow one's wild oats.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

explore ‎(plural explores)

  1. (colloquial) An exploration; a tour of a place to see what it is like.
    • 2008, John Watters, Bonza Voyage
      Daylight was fading quickly, but I was still keen to have a little explore of the town and beach.

French

Verb

explore

  1. first-person singular present indicative of explorer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of explorer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of explorer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of explorer
  5. second-person singular imperative of explorer

Portuguese

Verb

explore

  1. first-person singular present subjunctive of explorar
  2. third-person singular present subjunctive of explorar
  3. first-person singular imperative of explorar
  4. third-person singular imperative of explorar

Spanish

Verb

explore

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of explorar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of explorar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of explorar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of explorar.

Etymology

From Middle French explorer, from Latin explorare ‎(“to investigate, search out”), itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", from ex- ‎(“out”) + plorare ‎(“to cry”), but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (from pluere ‎(“to flow”)).

Pronunciation

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