expose oneself

present singular third person exposes oneself · participle present exposing oneself · participle past exposed oneself · past exposed oneself

1. euphemisticidiomaticTo display one's genitalia or female nipples in a public place or in other inappropriate circumstances.

   The police arrested the man who had exposed himself in public.

   3 more examples

   On Thursday the police in Miami Beach arrested the man, Weston J. Hill, 44 years old, charging him with indecent exposure. . . . He had been charged with exposing himself to children.

   1985 May 5, “Offender's One-way Ticket Stirs 2-city Feud”, in New York Times, retrieved 27 Apr 2014

   While the President was on the telephone, according to Ms. Lewinsky, "he unzipped his pants and exposed himself," and she performed oral sex.

   1998 September 18, “Bill & Monica: The Intern Serves the Pizza”, in Time, retrieved 27 Apr 2014

   Elsewhere in Sweden recently, two underage girls pressed charges when a teenage boy exposed himself to them at a lake. The court decided, despite the victims' testimonies, that the offence was "not of a sexual nature" and dismissed it.

   2013 September 20, Holly Baxter, “Is masturbating in public a laughing matter?”, in The Guardian, UK

2. idiomaticTo put oneself in a vulnerable position.

   The soldiers exposed themselves by moving into unfamiliar territory.

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see expose.