To elucidate something is to explain it when it is hard to see clearly — by adding the information, examples, or steps that make the meaning come out.

To elucidate something要 elucidate 一件事 is to explain it when it is hard to see clearly就是在事情不容易看清楚的時候把它解釋清楚——by adding the information, examples, or steps that make the meaning come out透過補充能讓意思顯現出來的資訊、例子，或步驟。

It is a formal, slightly bookish verb: essays, lectures, legal writing, and careful journalism use it; friends almost never say it over dinner.

It它 is a formal, slightly bookish verb是個正式、有點書面氣息的動詞：essays, lectures, legal writing, and careful journalism use it論文、演講、法律文件，和講究的新聞寫作會用到它；friends almost never say it over dinner朋友吃飯聊天幾乎不會這樣說。

The picture inside the word is light: you are making the matter bright enough to understand, not merely repeating it in other words. You elucidate a point, a theory, a clause in a contract.

The picture inside the word is light這個字裡藏著的畫面是「光」：you are making the matter bright enough to understand你是要把這件事照得夠亮，讓人看懂，not merely repeating it in other words而不只是換個說法重複一次。You你 elucidate a point, a theory, a clause in a contract可以 elucidate 一個論點、一個理論、合約裡的一個條款。

Though actually, it promises more than a short gloss; if you only rename the idea, you have not elucidated it. Teachers sometimes reach for it when they want to sound serious; simpler explain, make clear, or spell out will usually do the same job with less weight.

Though actually不過其實，it promises more than a short gloss它承諾的比一句簡單的註解還要多；if you only rename the idea, you have not elucidated it如果你只是換個名字講同一個概念，那並不算 elucidate 了它。Teachers sometimes reach for it老師有時候會想用這個字 when they want to sound serious想聽起來嚴肅一點的時候；simpler explain, make clear, or spell out比較簡單的 explain、make clear，或 spell out will usually do the same job with less weight通常也能做到同樣的效果，而且沒那麼沉重。