幫行為想出說得通的理由
把「講得通」的框框套在自己的行為上：事情沒有改，只有說法被修過。
verb · B2
To invent a reason that makes something bad you did sound acceptable, so that it seems less wrong to you and to other people.
合理化（幫錯事找說法）
核心畫面
You can think of rationalize as pushing something into a shape that reason will accept. The thing itself does not change; what changes is how neat and how defensible it looks. A messy excuse, a wasteful company, an formula - each one gets pushed until it fits the frame of 'this makes sense'. Someone always decides what counts as sensible, which is why the same verb sounds like an excuse when it is aimed at a person, and like job cuts when it is aimed at a company.
rationalize 可以想成「把一件事推進『講得通』的框框裡」。東西本身沒有變，變的是它看起來有多整齊、多站得住…更多收起
rationalize 可以想成「把一件事推進『講得通』的框框裡」。東西本身沒有變，變的是它看起來有多整齊、多站得住腳。一個亂七八糟的藉口、一間到處重複的公司、一條寫得很醜的算式，都能被推成這個樣子。要注意這個動作是人做的：有人先決定什麼叫合理，再照那個標準去修。也因為這樣，同一個字放在人身上會變成藉口，放在公司身上會變成裁員，放在數學上就只是把式子寫乾淨。From the word’s history
Wiktionary analyses the word as rational + -ize, from French rationaliser - literally to make something rational. Every modern use is that one action, aimed at a different kind of object.
字典把 rationalize 拆成 rational（講道理的）＋ -ize（使變成），來源記為法文 rationaliser，字面就是「使變得合理」。今天的幾個用法都是同一個動作，只是對象不同：一個說法、一間公司、一條算式。
Wiktionary entry for rationalize, packet etymology_text: "From French rationaliser. By surface analysis, rational + -ize."
Three branches
把組織或系統整理得有效率
一樣是套上「合理」的標準，只是對象換成公司或系統，修的方法是把多出來的部分拿掉。
verb · C1
To change a company or a system so that it costs less and wastes less, usually by cutting jobs, equipment or services that are treated as unnecessary.
精簡；整頓
把算式整理乾淨
同一個動作用在算式上：值不准變，變的只有寫法，把根號整理掉。
verb · C1
In mathematics, to rewrite an expression so that the root signs are taken out of it, while the value of the expression stays exactly the same.
有理化