† exˈpone, v. Obs.
[ad. L. expōn-ĕre to put forth, set forth, display, declare, publish, f. ex- out + pōnere to put, place. Cf. the cognate expound, also expose n.1 (Since 16th c. chiefly Sc.; in earlier use perh. sometimes only a graphic variant of expowne expound.)]
1. trans. To set forth in words, declare.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Machor 1302 (in Horstmann Alt. Leg. 202) Þat þai..Þe priwete mare opynly Wald expone þaime. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 433 Ensaumple of siche deds exponeþ best Cristis lawe. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 28 Christ..has ratifeit & exponit thame in the new law. 1632 in Row's Hist. Kirk (1842) p. xl, Whilk day the ministers of Perth expone and shew to the brethren that the town..had made..agreement with a schoolmaster. [1860 J. Paterson Life & Poems Dunbar 306 We have him exponing the salutary change which age had effected.] |
b. To set forth the character of; to represent, characterize.
| 1663 Spalding Troub. Chas. I (1792) II. 200 Taking them [the people of Aberdeen] to be worse exponed than they were indeed. |
2. To expound, explain, interpret.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. lxiii. 272 (Harl. MS.) They..praide him that he wolde declare and expone the versys to hem. 1549 Compl. Scot. x. 83 The inglismen exponis the prophesye of merlyne to there auen affectione, as the iueis exponit the prophesie of cayphas. 1640 Canterb. Self-Convict. 120 His oath and promise at his coronation to keep the laws, is to be exponed of his resolution to make his laws to be keeped by others. 1676 W. Row Contn. Blair's Autobiog. xii. (1848) 464 They exponed Scripture and prayed. |
3. To put forth (effort); lay out, expend (money).
| 1527 Burgh Rec. Aberd. (Spalding Club 1844) I. 118 The mony and proffeit of the said land..nocht to be exponit in vothir vssis. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) II. 299 The King..hath been always contented..to expone all his study, labour..treasure [etc.]..for the Pope's aid. |
4. To expose (a person or thing to danger, etc.).
| 1564 Haward Eutropius To Rdr. 1 They exponed themselves..to no smal daungers. a 1572 Knox Hist. Ref. (1586) 98 They lying without trench or gabion, were exponed to the force of the whole ordinaunce of the sayd castle. a 1651 Calderwood Hist. Kirk (1843) II. 48 If he so did, he sould.. expone religioun to the uttermost danger. |