核心畫面

One way to see it: something folded up has been opened out flat, so every part is visible at once. Nothing is left folded inside for you to guess at — it is all laid out on the surface.

一張本來摺起來的紙被完全攤平,所有內容一次全部露在表面上,沒有一角還藏在摺線裡等你去猜。explicit 的相反是 更多收起一張本來摺起來的紙被完全攤平,所有內容一次全部露在表面上,沒有一角還藏在摺線裡等你去猜。explicit 的相反是 implicit(含蓄、言外之意)——implicit 是「摺著的」,要你自己讀出來;explicit 是「攤開的」,一字不漏地講清楚。所以 explicit instructions 不只是「清楚的指示」,而是「連細節都明白說出來、不留給你推測空間」的指示。

From the word’s history

From Latin explicitus, past participle of explicāre: ex- ("out") + plicāre ("to fold") — literally "unfolded, disentangled." The same plicāre gives English fold-words like implicit, complicated and reply.

拉丁文 explicāre = ex-(向外)+ plicāre(摺疊),字面就是「把摺起來的東西攤開」。這條線索很好用,因為同一個 plicāre 也藏在 implicit(摺進去的=含蓄的)、complicated(摺在一起的=複雜的)裡面。記住「摺 / 攤」這組對比,explicit 跟 implicit 的差別就不必背了。

Wiktionary, "explicit" (← French explicite ← Latin explicitus, variant of explicātus, from explicāre: ex- + plicāre "to fold")

One branch

把話攤開講明

就是核心畫面本身:內容全部攤在表面,不留暗示。

clearly stated · adjective · C2

Said or written in a very clear and direct way, with every detail shown, so that nothing is hidden.

明確

原始詞典資料4 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

explicitadj詞源 1/ɪkˈsplɪs.ɪt/

  • 1

    Very specific, clear, or detailed.

    • I gave explicit instructions for him to stay here, but he followed me, anyway.
    • If the task is indeed a difficult one, it may be worthwhile to attempt an explicit statement as to those aspects of the endeavor that appear to have the greatest importance for success or failure.
  • 2

    Containing material (e.g. language or film footage) that might be deemed offensive or graphic through clear and direct expressions.

    • The film had several scenes including explicit language and sex.
    • Cerberus Scientist: I'm sorry, sir. None of Normandy's surveillance feeds have been responding since Shepard went rogue. Illusive Man: I want it back. Retry the remote lockdown protocols. Cerberus Scientist: After our last attempt, EDI flooded our server with seven zettabytes of explicit images. I think she was making a joke.

explicitnoun詞源 2/ɪkˈsplɪs.ɪt/

  • 1

    The final few words of a text.

explicitphrase詞源 3/ɪkˈsplɪs.ɪt/

  • 1

    obsoleteUsed at the conclusion of a book to indicate the end.

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。