[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

illustrate \illus"trate\, a. l. illustratus, p. p.
   illustrated; distinguished; illustrious. obs.
   1913 webster

         this most gallant, illustrate, and learned gentleman.
                                                  --shak.
   1913 webster

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

illustrate \illus"trate\, v. t. imp.  p. p. illustrated; p.
   pr.  vb. n. illustrating. l. illustratus, p. p. of
   illustrare to illustrate, fr. illustris bright. see
   illustrious.
   1. to make clear, bright, or luminous.
      1913 webster

            here, when the moon illustrates all the sky.
                                                  --chapman.
      1913 webster

   2. to set in a clear light; to exhibit distinctly or
      conspicuously. --shak.
      1913 webster

            to prove him, and illustrate his high worth.
                                                  --milton.
      1913 webster

   3. to make clear, intelligible, or apprehensible; to
      elucidate, explain, or exemplify, as by means of figures,
      comparisons, and examples.
      1913 webster

   4. to adorn with pictures, as a book or a subject; to
      elucidate with pictures, as a history or a romance.
      1913 webster

   5. to give renown or honor to; to make illustrious; to
      glorify. obs.
      1913 webster

            matter to me of glory, whom their hate
            illustrates.                          --milton.
      1913 webster
see also:
illustrated illustrating illustrious 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

illustrate
     v 1: clarify by giving an example of syn: exemplify, instance
     2: depict with an illustration
     3: e.g., illustrate a book with drawings
see also:
exemplify instance 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

102 moby thesaurus words for "illustrate":
   account for, adorn, adumbrate, allegorize, approve, argue, attest,
   bespeak, betoken, body forth, breathe, call to mind, cite,
   cite a particular, clarify, clear up, connote, crack, decipher,
   decorate, demonstrate, demythologize, denote, display, document,
   elucidate, embellish, emblazon, embody, enlighten, euhemerize,
   evidence, evince, example, exemplify, exhibit, explain,
   explain away, explicate, exposit, expound, express, figure,
   foreshadow, furnish evidence, give a for-instance,
   give indication of, give reason for, give the meaning, go to show,
   illuminate, image, impersonate, imply, incarnate, indicate,
   instance, involve, itemize, make clear, make plain, manifest, mark,
   mirror, name, ornament, particularize, personate, personify,
   picture, point to, popularize, prefigure, pretypify, project,
   quote, rationalize, realize, reflect, set forth, shadow,
   shadow forth, shed light upon, show, show how, show signs of,
   show the way, signalize, signify, simplify, solve,
   speak for itself, speak volumes, spell out, suggest, symptomatize,
   tell, tend to show, throw light upon, unfold, unlock, unravel

Illustrate >> I Words
Illustrate, definition of term: Illustrate
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