illustrate: [16] Illustrate is closely related etymologically to illuminate. It goes back to Latin illustrāre, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- and lustrāre ‘make bright’, which came from the same base as produced Latin lūmen (source of illuminate) and lūx ‘light’, and indeed English light. Originally it meant literally ‘throw light on’, but this eventually passed via ‘elucidate’ to, in the 17th century, ‘exemplify’ and ‘a(chǎn)dd pictures to’.
More of the original sense of ‘brightness’ survives, albeit metaphorically, in illustrious [16], which comes from Latin illustris ‘shining, clear’, a back-formation from illustrāre. => illuminate, illustrious, light, luminous, lustre
illustrate (v.)
1520s, "light up, shed light on;" 1610s, "educate by means of examples," back-formation from illustration, and in some cases from Latin illustratus, past participle of illustrare (see illustration). Sense of "provide pictures to explain or decorate" is 1630s. Related: Illustrated; illustrating.
雙語例句
1. He quoted some old Chinese sayings to illustrate his points.
他援用了一些中國話來解釋他的論點.
來自《現(xiàn)代漢英綜合大詞典》
2. I can cite quite a few instances to illustrate.
我可以舉出好幾件事來說明.
來自《現(xiàn)代漢英綜合大詞典》
3. The company's bank statements illustrate its success.
這家公司的銀行報表說明了它的成功.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
4. This diagram will illustrate what I mean.
這個圖表可說明我的意思.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
5. Here are few examples to illustrate this principle.