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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary elab·o·rate
ETYMOLOGY Latin elaboratus, from past participle of elaborareto work out, acquire by labor, from e- + laborare to work — more at laboratory DATE 1592 1. planned or carried out with great care took elaborate precautions 2. marked by complexity, fullness of detail, or ornateness elaborate prose • elab·o·rate·ly adverb • elab·o·rate·ness noun
(-rat·ed ; -rat·ing) DATE 1611 transitive verb 1. to produce by labor 2. to build up (as complex organic compounds) from simple ingredients 3. to work out in detail : develop elaborate a theory intransitive verb 1. to become elaborate 2. to expand something in detail would you care to elaborate on that statement English Etymology elaborate 1. elaborate (adj.) 1590s, "produced by labor," from L. elaboratus, pp. of elaborare (see elaboration). Meaning "very detailed" is from 1620s. 2. elaborate (v.) c.1600, from L. elaborat-, pp. stem of elaborare (see elaboration). Related: Elaborated; elaborating. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 elaborate elab·or·ate adjective/ i5lAbErEt / [usually before noun] very complicated and detailed; carefully prepared and organized 复杂的；详尽的；精心制作的: elaborate designs 精心的设计 She had prepared a very elaborate meal. 她做了一顿精美的饭菜。 an elaborate computer system 精密的计算机系统 • elab·or·ate·ly adv.: an elaborately decorated room 精心装饰的房间 • elab·or·ate·ness noun [U] verb/ i5lAbEreit / 1. ~ (on / upon sth) to explain or describe sth in a more detailed way 详尽阐述；详细描述: ▪ [V] He said he was resigning but did not elaborate on his reasons. 他说他准备辞职但未详细说明原因。 ▪ [VN] She went on to elaborate her argument. 她进而详尽阐述了她的论点。 ▪ [also V speech] 2. [VN] to develop a plan, an idea, etc. and make it complicated or detailed 详细制订；精心制作: In his plays he takes simple traditional tales and elaborates them. 他在剧本里采用了一些简单的传统故事并进行了发挥。 • elab·or·ation / i7lAbE5reiFn / noun [U, C] : The importance of the plan needs no further elaboration. 这个计划的重要性无须赘述。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English elaborate adj. VERBS be, look, seem, sound The plans looked very elaborate. | become ADV. exceptionally, extremely, highly, very highly elaborate carvings | increasingly | fairly, quite, rather OLT elaborate adj. ⇨ complex Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged elab·o·rate I. \ə̇lab(ə)rə̇t, ēˈ-, usu -rə̇d.+V\ adjective Etymology: Latin elaboratus 1. archaic : produced by labor 2. a. : planned or carried out with great care and exactness : worked out in detail : complex < the elaborate register of the inhabitants prevented tax evasion — John Buchan > < he began an elaborate calculation on his fingers — Dorothy Sayers > b. : marked by complexity, fullness of detail, or ornateness : intricate , complicated < elaborate wood decorations, mansard roofs, and long porches — Fred Zimmer > c. : painstaking , diligent < an elaborate collector of etchings > • elab·o·rate·ly adverb • elab·o·rate·ness noun -es II. \-bəˌrāt, usu -ād.+V\ verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Latin elaboratus, past participle of elaborare to work out, labor diligently, acquire by labor, from e- + laborare to labor — more at labor transitive verb 1. : to produce by labor : fashion with care 2. of a living organism : to alter the chemical makeup of (as a foodstuff) to one more suited to bodily needs (as of assimilation or excretion); especially : to build up (complex organic compounds) from simple ingredients < some neoplasms elaborate abnormal proteins > < green plants elaborate organic compounds from inorganic by means of photosynthesis > 3. a. : to work out in detail : develop < requested all nations to meet to elaborate a code of international law > b. : to expand, develop, or perfect especially by analysis or reasoning < the idea of mechanical energy was … inherent in Newton's work and was elaborated by those who followed him — W.V.Houston > intransitive verb 1. : to become elaborate < this particular area seems a point where such influences have flowered and elaborated — Ruth Underhill > 2. : to expand something in detail : discuss something at length < he never elaborated on that remark — Irving Kristol > < declined to elaborate in spite of strong hints that he tell all > : dwell on a subject < and then elaborated in response to questions — New York Times > Synonyms: see unfold |
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