expose, v.
(ɛkˈspəʊz)
[a. Fr. exposer (14th c.), formed as an adaptation of L. expōnĕre to put out, expose (see expone, expound); the vb. poser (:—L. pausāre to rest, lay down) having been associated by erroneous etymology with L. pōnĕre (pa. pple. positus), and employed as its regular representative in compounds. See compose, pose.]
I. To put out; to deprive of shelter.
† 1. trans. To put out; to put (a person) ashore; to expel from a country, etc. Also refl. of a river: To empty itself into. Obs. rare.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. i. 43 The Genueses have abandoned the society of Iewes, and exposed them from their iurisdiction. Ibid. ii. 46 There the Carmoesaloe [a vessel] stayed, and I was exposed to seek passage for Ragusa. 1658 W. Burton Itin. Anton. 134 Where the river Tearn exposeth it self into it [the Severn]. 1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World 151 In short, I would expose no hostages. |
2. To turn out of doors; ‘to cast out to chance’ (J.); esp. to abandon (an infant), often in Antiq. as the rendering of L. exponere, Gr. ἐκτιθέναι.
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. ii. 78 All the Instruments which ayded to expose the Child, were euen then lost. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece ii. xx. (1715) 371 The latter [Ariadne] being the same that was expos'd big with Child upon that Coast by Theseus. 1752 Hume Ess., Populousness Anc. Nations (1779) I. 416 The only country where this practice of exposing children prevails. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng. (1861) V. 102 In old time he would have been exposed as soon as he came into the world. |
3. To place in an unsheltered or unprotected position; to leave without shelter or defence; to remove the covering of; to put (plants) out in the open air. In early use also, To risk, imperil.
| c 1477 Caxton Jason 78 b, And semblably ben alle peple bounden to expose body and goodes for their kyng. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 46 He that hath espyde a vermeill rose, To which sharpe thornes..the way forestall, Dare not for dread his hardy hand expose. 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 201 Set out and expose Flos Cardinalis. Ibid. 212 Be careful not to expose the Fruit without Leaves sufficient to skreen it from the Sun. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 828, I go This uncouth errand sole, and one for all My self expose. 1704 Lond. Gaz. No. 4020/2 He exposed his Person very much in the Action. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. (1813) 309 An awning..will continue them in perfection of blow much longer than if always exposed. 1885 Blackw. Mag. 584/1 The gunners are never exposed as is the case with all embrasure..batteries. Mod. This costume is injurious to health because it unduly exposes the chest. |
4. To lay open (to danger, ridicule, censure, etc.); to place in the way of something that would be better avoided; to render accessible or liable. Const. to, † unto; also to with inf. clause.
| 1474 Caxton Chesse 144 He exposith hym vnto the parilles of bataylle. 1601 Shakes. All's Well iii. ii. 106 Expose Those tender limbes of thine, to the euent Of the none-sparing warre. 1605 ― Lear iii. iv. 34 Expose thy selfe to feele what wretches feele. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. 4 Rather then..to expose themselues to many exceptions and cauillations. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 27 Whom the highest place exposes Formost to stand against the Thunderers aime. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 646 [The Snake] leaves expos'd to Blows, his Back and batter'd Sides. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 336 Not so low as to be exposed to the overflowing of the river. 1789 Bentham Princ. Legisl. xviii. §44 Offences to which the condition of a Guardian is exposed. 1865 R. W. Dale Jew. Temp. ix. (1877) 89 The faith of the Hebrew Christians..was..exposed to severe trials. 1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 226 In positions little exposed to be walked over. |
5. a. To lay open to († into) the action or influence of.
| 1594 Plat Jewel Ho., Divers New Exper. 33 The greene timber which you doe expose into the ayre. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 448 While the balmy Western Spirit blows, Earth to the Breath her Bosom dares expose. a 1704 Locke (J.), Those who seek truth only, freely expose their principles to the test. 1744 Berkeley Siris §28 Trees that grow on mountains, exposed to the sun or the north wind. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 112 ¶4 Exposed to a microscope, the smoothest polish..discovers cavities. 1807 T. Thomson Chem. (ed. 3) II. 176 When liquid sulphurous acid is exposed to atmospheric air. 1866 J. Martineau Ess. I. 3 He was exposed to two singularly inharmonious influences. 1879 G. C. Harlan Eyesight ii. 22 The way in which they [the eyebrows] are instantly drawn down when we are suddenly exposed to a dazzling light. |
b. pass. To be open to a certain quarter of the heavens, situated in a certain aspect.
| 1710 London & Wise Compl. Gard. (1719) 76 It's an admirable Peach when planted in a good Soil, and well expos'd. 1765 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. (ed. 2) 307 The richest lands in Scotland..are exposed to the north. |
c. Photogr. To submit (a sensitized surface) to the action of actinic rays. Often absol.
| 1839 Visitor Dec. 479/1 In one specimen which had been exposed only thirty seconds, the plate was still intensely black, excepting in the sky. 1848 Chambers's Jrnl. 24 June 403/2 On another plate, exposed for twenty minutes, a long black stripe was produced. 1878 W. Abney Treat. Photogr. xxxi. 246 As regards the exposure to be given to a picture there is one golden rule to follow: ‘Expose for the shadows and let the lights take care of themselves’. 1903 A. Watkins Photogr. (ed. 2) 9 In the all-important question, ‘how long to expose?’..the size of the stop has a most important influence. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 2 Sept. 14/2 A simple lesson in exposing a plate. 1959 F. Luther Microfilm xii. 116 Dagron exposed his microfilms in the camera as conventional glass plates. |
II. To present to view, put forth.
6. a. To exhibit openly; to display to the public gaze.
| 1623–6 Cockeram, Expose, to set to view. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 280 ¶3 The Beggar, who exposes his Sores. 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic i. iv. (1840) 95 By persuading him [Noah] to drink himself drunk..had..made him expose himself in a beastly manner. 1801 Southey Thalaba vi. xxvi, Transparent garments to the greedy eye Exposed their harlot limbs. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 250 He was then carried to the market place, and exposed..as a malefactor. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 176 The dead are only to be exposed for three days. |
b. Eccl. To exhibit (the Host, relics) for adoration.
| 1644 Evelyn Diary 18 Mar., Neere Easter..many images were expos'd. 1850 J. H. Newman Diffic. Anglic. 213 The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in all the churches all over the city. |
c. To disclose, display, allow to be seen.
| 1851 Carpenter Man. Phys. 401 The amount of surface exposed by the walls of these minute cavities. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xxxvi. (1856) 324 A pit was sunk in the ice around her..so as to expose her stern. 1870 Hardy & Ware Mod. Hoyle, Whist 7 A card by accident being exposed during the deal. 1872 Raymond Statist. Mines & Mining 248 An open cut 30 feet long exposes a vein of rather solid-looking quartz. |
7. a. To offer publicly, ‘put up’ for (or to) sale. (The ordinary phrase in Scotland: in England now somewhat formal).
| a 1610 Healey Theophrastus, Ostentation (1636) 82 Those which expose their wares to sale. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. x. 30 [They] exposed me to sale three several times, and yet could meet with nobody that would buy me. 1704 Swift T. Tub Concl. 221 To expose the talents I have acquired. 1762–71 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) II. 103 It was again exposed at Mr. Scawen's sale. 1771 Phil. Trans. LXI. 324 note, A fishmonger..in the winter, exposes for sale a bushel..of carp and tench. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 409 The first barometers ever exposed to sale. 1868 Perthshire Jrnl. 18 June, There will be exposed for Sale..on Saturday..about 2,000 Trees. |
† b. To put forth, publish (a discourse). Also (after Fr. exposer) to put (coin) in circulation. Obs.
| 1644 Vindex Angl. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) V. 431 Did ever nation expose choicer..discourses, than ours hath done? 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Pref., The last things which I shall expose to the Publick. 1751 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Exposing, It is prohibited to expose false and clipped money. |
8. a. To make known, disclose (secrets, one's intentions or projects, etc.). Formerly in wider sense: To explain, set forth or describe in detail.
| 1483 Caxton Cato I vj b, His fyrste frend..to whom he ex⁓posed his caas and nede. c 1489 ― Blanchardyn lii. 199 The prouost..exposed vnto the..comynalte the charge that he had of blanchardyn. 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terap. 2 G iv, In the boke..we haue exposed all the differences of vlceres. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 126 Which as an action most singular, I have judged fit to be exposed in this place unto him. 1701 tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers (1702) 103 They exposed..their Reasons. 1779 in Athenæum 16 Aug. (1884) 213/1 He..exposes his intention of returning during winter to Sandwich Island. 1791 Boswell Johnson Ded., The whole truth is not always to be exposed. 1855 Prescott Philip II, I. ii. viii. 237 Egmont..exposed to the monarch the evils that beset the country. 1873 Holland A. Bonnic. xxiii. 346, I exposed my project, which..met with his hearty approval. |
† b. To set forth the meaning of; to explain, expound. Obs.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 436/3 Saynt Jherome exposeth hit thus. ― Cato D v b, Or otherwyse hyt may be exposed that [etc.]. |
9. a. To unmask, show up (an error or misrepresentation, an impostor); to hold up to ridicule or reprobation (faults, follies, or those who are guilty of them).
| 1693 Dryden Juv. Ded. (1697) 4 Like Horace, you only expose the Follies of Men, without arraigning their Vices. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 23 ¶7, I have in this Paper endeavoured to expose that particular Breach of Charity. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. ii. ii, It has led me into so many cursed rogueries, that I doubt I shall be exposed at last. 1826 Hallam in Edin. Rev. XLIV. 9 It would be idle to expose the spuriousness of what no one appeared to think authentic. 1876 Mozley Univ. Serm. ii. (1877) 33 He..saw the imposture and exposed it. 1885 Manch. Exam. 6 Nov. 5/2 It will serve to expose the hollowness of the hopes. |
† b. Hence in 17–18th c.: To hold up to ridicule (what is not a fault). Obs. (Stigmatized by Johnson as ‘an improper colloquial abuse’.)
| 1685 Stillingfl. Orig. Brit. i. 14 But lest I should seem to expose so ancient a Tradition..I now proceed [etc.]. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. I. 73 The most Sacred Things, exposed by insolent Buffoonry. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 291 ¶7 A little Wit is equally capable of exposing a Beauty, and of aggravating a Fault. 1772 Fletcher Logica Genev. 29 The round attires of the head exposed by Isaiah. |