From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishillustrateil‧lus‧trate /ˈɪləstreɪt/ ●●○ AWL verb [transitive] 1 CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTANDto make the meaning of something clearer by giving examples Let me give an example to illustrate the point. She illustrated her discussion with diagrams.2 SHOW/BE A SIGN OFto be an example which shows that something is true or that a fact existsillustrate that This dispute illustrates that the regime is deeply divided.illustrate how The following examples illustrate how this operates in practice. This illustrates a fundamental weakness in the system.3 TCNto put pictures in a book, article etc Over a hundred diagrams, tables and pictures illustrate the book.► see thesaurus at draw→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
illustrate• Now she has illustrated a second, equally funny story about the time the maiden Belinda is captured by a wicked knight.• In this chapter typical examples of the kinds of fossils most commonly encountered are illustrated by beautiful specimens.• The book was illustrated by Robert May.• This point can be illustrated by two brief examples.• The experiment illustrates how careful you have to be when interpreting results.• This story illustrates how important the family is in Latin American culture.• The brochure is beautifully laid out and illustrated reflecting the quality image of Stoddard Templeton.• Pictures illustrate some of the ways in which rocks are formed.• As this story illustrates, some stars have become as bored as audiences by Hollywood extravagance.• These, referred to in his diary, may just have been to illustrate special copies of other authors' guide books.• A recent Governing magazine article about at-risk youth illustrated the importance of a holistic approach.• The family history illustrates the point.• Figure la illustrates the situation in the collapsing stage.• Shelton has a talent for using the specific to illustrate the universal.illustrate ... point• A brief list of such consequences will suffice to illustrate the point.• A few examples will suffice to illustrate the point.• A tale of two telephone companies illustrates the point.• Events preceding the election illustrated the point.• Here are some examples from the history of astronomy that illustrate the point.• The development of the gut illustrates the point.• Two of the mink's relatives illustrate the point.• They are too numerous to record herewith, but I shall take just one or two to illustrate the point under discussion.illustrate that• The case illustrates that an indirect cause is sufficient.• They illustrate that, at a time when long-term unemployment is spiralling, it does not pay to make mistakes.• The above examples illustrate that different preferences exist across languages for certain general patterns of reference.• The alarmist tone further illustrates that even in exile, Salinas remains a potent political force here.• He said the quick response illustrates that federal safeguards for such facilities work.• It also illustrated that Holy Trinity was willing to accept these young people on their own terms.• The driving-unconsciously-while-proving-a-theorem case illustrates that situation well enough.• It also illustrates that small as well as large organizations must decide how to handle the matrixing issue.Origin illustrate (1500-1600) Latin past participle of illustrare, from lustrare “to make pure or bright” 