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Illustrate vs Imply - What's the difference?

illustrate | imply |

As verbs the difference between illustrate and imply

is that illustrate is to shed light upon; to illuminate while imply is to have as a necessary consequence.

illustrate

English

Verb

(illustrat)
  • (obsolete) To shed light upon; to illuminate.
  • * Were the Moon smooth, as a looking glass, a very small part would be seen by any particular eye to be illustrated by the Sun.
  • * Chapman
  • Here, when the moon illustrates all the sky.
  • To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
  • * Milton
  • To prove him, and illustrate his high worth.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=September 7 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Moldova 0-5 England , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.}}
  • * We illustrate our definitions by including quotations or simple examples.
  • To provide a book or other publication with pictures, diagrams or other explanatory or decorative features.
  • * The economics textbook was illustrated with many graphs.
  • (obsolete) To give renown or honour to; to make illustrious; to glorify.
  • * Milton
  • Matter to me of glory, whom their hate / Illustrates .

    References

    * ----

    imply

    English

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence
  • The proposition that "all dogs are mammals" implies that my dog is a mammal
  • (of a person) to suggest by logical inference
  • When I state that your dog is brown, I am not implying that all dogs are brown
  • (of a person or proposition) to hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement
  • What do you mean "we need to be more careful with hygiene"? Are you implying that I don't wash my hands?
  • (archaic) to enfold, entangle.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.iv:
  • And in his bosome secretly there lay / An hatefull Snake, the which his taile vptyes / In many folds, and mortall sting implyes .

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) . See

    Synonyms

    * (to have as a necessary consequence) entail * (to suggest tacitly) allude, hint, insinuate, suggest

    See also

    * connotation * entail