narrate, v.
(næˈreɪt)
[f. L. narrāt-, ppl. stem of narrāre to relate, recount, supposed to be for *gnārāre, related to gnārus knowing, skilled, and thus ultimately allied to know v.
The earliest examples (1656) are prob. translations of Sp. narrar. Otherwise the word comes into English use only after 1750; Richardson and Johnson call it Scottish:—
1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VI. 223 When I have least to narrate, to speak in the Scottish phrase, I am most diverting. 1755 Johnson, Narrate, to relate, to tell; a word only used in Scotland. 1813 Q. Rev. July 433 The style [of M{supc}Crie's Knox] is..free from all modern affectation, excepting the abominable verb ‘narrate’, which must absolutely be proscribed in all good writing.]
1. trans. To relate, recount, give an account of.
| 1656 S. Holland tr. Zara (1719) 11 His Excellency..narrates his several Encounters. Ibid. 136 It were needless to narrate what flouting..there was amongst the bundle of Knights. 1754 Cambridge in World No. 56 II. 192, I have listened to the tales..of senators who narrated the eloquence they never spoke! 1755 T. Amory Mem. (1769) I. 299 Were I to give you the particulars of all these things, it would take up days to narrate. 1788 A. Seward Lett. (1811) I. 92 In narrating interesting facts, his comments..often fatigue by their plenitude. 1804 Southey in Ann. Rev. II. 17 The discovery of Madeira is narrated with all the exaggerations of romance. 1823 Bentham Not Paul 308 On this occasion three principal events are narrated. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 399 The tale of the last hours of Socrates is narrated to Echecrates. |
b. To speak the commentary of (a broadcast, film, exhibition, etc.).
| 1974 Anderson (S. Carolina) Independent 24 Apr. 1B/2 Rear Adm. Rice narrated a slide show depicting historical portions of Anderson. 1975 Daily Tel. 30 Oct. 6/6 The Prince of Wales introduces and narrates ‘One Day in November’, a {pstlg}20,000 colour film about the work of the Royal British Legion. |
2. absol. To give an account, make a relation.
| 1795 tr. Mercier's Fragm. Pol. & Hist. II. 439 They ought merely to narrate, to prove, and to conclude by a short recapitulation. 1830 Carlyle Misc. (1857) II. 168 Most men speak only to narrate. 1843 Marryat M. Violet xxxiii, Any one on hearing him narrate would say the same. |
Hence naˈrrated ppl. a., naˈrrating vbl. n. and ppl. a. Also naˈrrater, narrator (rare).
| 1758 C. Lennox Henrietta ii. vii. (1761) I. 159 Here miss Woodby broke in upon the fair narrater. 1802 E. Parsons Myst. Visit IV. 149, I cannot be so exact in the repetition as he was in the narrating. 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) I. 57 The narrating witness in question speaks of some other person and not of himself. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 121 Like the Protagoras..it is a narrated dialogue. |