Word family noun clarity clearance clearing clarification clearness adjective clear ≠ unclear verb clear clarify adverb clear clearly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclarifyclar‧i‧fy /ˈklærɪfaɪ/ ●●○ AWL verb (clarified, clarifying, clarifies) [transitive] 1 CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND formal to make something clearer or easier to understand → clarificationclarify issues/a statement/matters etc Could you clarify one or two points for me? Reporters asked him to clarify his position (=say exactly what his beliefs are) on welfare reform.clarify how/what etc The report aims to clarify how these conclusions were reached.2 to make something cleaner or purer by heating it clarified butter→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
clarify• As it is thereby illustrated and developed its implications should clarify.• I hope this statement has helped to clarify a few points.• All the rules and definitions that we have outlined so far will be clarified and simplified by the examples that follow.• The senator tried to clarify his position on abortion.• Use your abilities to negotiate, clarify, request, and assess instead.• After it finished all the clarifying, State Street immediately had a chance to put its new communications focus to work.• Officials sought to simplify the judicial process and clarify the criminal law.• Government during this period sought to clarify the law and simplify judicial procedure.• The first rehearsals of an opéra would often be chaos if his talents, or activity, did not clarify the performance.• Illustrations are provided to help clarify the written instructions.• Tutors learn to clarify their thinking, and tutees often experience cognitive conflict from being exposed to the views of peer tutors.clarify ... points• Free translations are best made when a language helper is with you to clarify obscure points.• I should be grateful if you could clarify the above points.• While they can clarify crucial points of law, some decisions appear contradictory.Origin clarify (1300-1400) Old French clarifier, from Late Latin clarificare, from Latin clarus; → CLEAR1 