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Webster 1913 Edition


Illustrate

Il-lus′trate

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Illustrated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Illustrating
.]
[L.
illustratus
, p. p. of
illustrare
to illustrate, fr.
illustris
bright. See
Illustrious
.]
1.
To make clear, bright, or luminous.
Here, when the moon
illustrates
all the sky.
Chapman.
2.
To set in a clear light; to exhibit distinctly or conspicuously.
Shak.
To prove him, and
illustrate
his high worth.
Milton.
3.
To make clear, intelligible, or apprehensible; to elucidate, explain, or exemplify, as by means of figures, comparisons, and examples.
4.
To adorn with pictures, as a book or a subject; to elucidate with pictures, as a history or a romance.
5.
To give renown or honor to; to make illustrious; to glorify.
[Obs.]
Matter to me of glory, whom their hate
Illustrates
.
Milton.

Il-lus′trate

,
Adj.
[L.
illustratus
, p. p.]
Illustrated; distinguished; illustrious.
[Obs.]
This most gallant,
illustrate
, and learned gentleman.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition


Illustrate

ILLUS'TRATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. illustro; in and lustro, to illuminate. See Luster.]
1.
To make clear, bright or luminous.
2.
To brighten with honor; to make distinguished.
Matter to me of glory! whom their hate
Illustrates--
3.
To brighten; to make glorious, or to display the glory of; as, to illustrate the perfections of God.
4.
To explain or elucidate; to make clear, intelligible or obvious, what is dark or obscure; as, to illustrate a passage of Scripture by comments, or of a profane author by a gloss.

Definition 2024


illustrate

illustrate

English

Verb

illustrate (third-person singular simple present illustrates, present participle illustrating, simple past and past participle illustrated)

  1. (obsolete) To shed light upon; to illuminate.
    • Were the Moon smooth, as a looking glass, a very small part would be seen by any particular eye to be illustrated by the Sun.
    • Chapman
      Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky.
  2. To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
    • Milton
      To prove him, and illustrate his high worth.
    • 2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:
      England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.
    • We illustrate our definitions by including quotations or simple examples.
  3. To provide a book or other publication with pictures, diagrams or other explanatory or decorative features.
    • The economics textbook was illustrated with many graphs.
  4. (obsolete) To give renown or honour to; to make illustrious; to glorify.
    • Milton
      Matter to me of glory, whom their hate / Illustrates.

Translations

References


Italian

Adjective

illustrate f pl

  1. feminine plural of illustrato

Verb

illustrate

  1. second-person plural present of illustrare
  2. second-person plural imperative of illustrare
  3. feminine plural past participle of illustrare

Latin

Participle

illūstrāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of illūstrātus