Pontificate vs Elaborate - What's the difference?
pontificate | elaborate |
To preside as a bishop, especially at mass.
To act like a pontiff; to express one’s position or opinions dogmatically and pompously as if they were absolutely correct.
To speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner, especially at length.
* 2007 ,
Highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated.
:
Intricate, fancy, flashy, or showy.
:
*
*:The house was a big elaborate limestone affair, evidently new. Winter sunshine sparkled on lace-hung casement, on glass marquise, and the burnished bronze foliations of grille and door.
(used with'' on ''when used with an object ) To give further detail or explanation (about).
In intransitive terms the difference between pontificate and elaborate
is that pontificate is to speak in a patronizing, supercilious or pompous manner, especially at length while elaborate is (used with on when used with an object) To give further detail or explanation (about).As a noun pontificate
is the state or term of office of a pontiff or pontifex.As an adjective elaborate is
highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated.pontificate
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) pontificatus, from .Etymology 2
From the past participle stem of mediaeval (etyl) .Verb
(pontificat)New York Times
- During a policy discussion awhile back about New York issues, when Mr. Clinton began to pontificate , she told him that he did not exactly know what he was talking about and to hush up.
elaborate
English
Adjective
(en adjective)Verb
(elaborat)- What do you mean you didn't come home last night? Would you care to elaborate ?
- Could you elaborate on the plot for your novel for me?