expatiate

present singular third person expatiates · participle present expatiating · participle past expatiated · past expatiated

1. To write or speak at length; to be copious in argument or discussion.

   “It can't fly,” he expatiated. “It can move forward only by hopping.”

   2007, Clive James, Cultural Amnesia, Picador, page 847

   5 more examples

   [H]e expatiated on the inconveniences of trade, that carried from us the commodities of our country, and made a parcel of upſtarts as rich as men of the moſt ancient families of England.

   1716 March 15 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 22. Sunday, March 5. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 438

   To the pure mind of Isabella thought of no other had arisen; and it was far better that the generous romance of her young heart should expatiate on the rival in heaven, than for a moment dread a rival on earth, and therefore become subject to jealousy...

   1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXVII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 48–49

   Governor Bellingham, in a loose gown and easy cap,—such as elderly gentlemen loved to indue themselves with, in their domestic privacy,—walked foremost, and appeared to be showing off his estate, and expatiating on his projected improvements.

   1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Elf-child and the Minister”, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC, page 128

   Now, as the business of standing mast-heads, ashore or afloat, is a very ancient and interesting one, let us in some measure expatiate here.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Mast-head”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 203

   Wooster: If you ask me, art is responsible for most of the trouble in the world. / Jeeves: An interesting theory, sir. Would you care to expatiate upon it? / Wooster: As a matter of fact, no, Jeeves. The thought just occurred to me, as thoughts do. / Jeeves: Very good, sir.

   1992 May 3, Clive Exton, “Comrade Bingo”, in Jeeves and Wooster, season 3, episode 6

   Synonyms: descant, dilate, enlarge, expound, expand, elaborate

2. rareTo range at large, or without restraint.

   [L]ooks on heav'n with more than mortal eyes, / Bids his free ſoul expatiate in the skies, / Amidſt her kindred ſtars familiar roam, / Survey the region, and confeſs her home! Such was the life great Scipio once admir'd, / Thus Atticus, and Trumball thus retir'd.

   1713, [Alexander] Pope, Windsor-Forest. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 62

3. obsoleteTo expand; to spread; to extend; to diffuse; to broaden.