Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing:
— She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation.

synonyms: dilate, enlarge, expand, expatiate, exposit, expound, flesh out, lucubrate.

Roget 673: prepare; get ready, make ready; make preparations, settle preliminaries, get up, sound the note of preparation.    set in order, put in order etc. (arrange) 60; forecast etc. (plan) 626; prepare the ground, plow the ground, dress the ground; till the soil, cultivate the soil; predispose, sow the seed, lay a train, dig a mine; lay the groundwork, fix the groundwork, lay the basis, fix the basis, lay the foundations, fix the foundations; dig the foundations, erect the scaffolding; lay the first stone etc. (begin) 66.    roughhew; cut out work; block out, hammer out; lick into shape etc. (form) 240.    elaborate, mature, ripen, mellow, season, bring to maturity; nurture etc. (aid) 707; hatch, cook, brew; temper, anneal, smelt; barbecue; infumate^†; maturate.    equip, arm, man; fit-out, fit up; furnish, rig, dress, garnish, betrim^†, accouter, array, fettle, fledge; dress up, furbish up, brush up, vamp up; refurbish; sharpen one's tools, trim one's foils, set, prime, attune; whet the knife, whet the sword; wind up, screw up; adjust etc. (fit) 27; put in trim, put in train, put in gear, put in working order, put in tune, put in a groove for, put in harness; pack.    train etc. (teach) 537; inure etc. (habituate) 613; breed; prepare for &c.; rehearse; make provision for; take steps, take measures, take precautions; provide, provide against; beat up for recruits; open the door to etc. (facilitate) 705.    set one's house in order, make all snug; clear the decks, clear for action; close one's ranks; shuffle the cards.    prepare oneself; serve an apprenticeship etc. (learn) 539; lay oneself out for, get into harness, gird up one's loins, buckle on one's armor, reculer pour mieux sauter [Fr.], prime and load, shoulder arms, get the steam up, put the horses to.    guard against, make sure against; forearm, make sure, prepare for the evil day, have a rod in pickle, provide against a rainy day, feather one's nest; lay in provisions etc. 637; make investments; keep on foot.    be prepared, be ready etc. adj.; hold oneself in readiness, keep one's powder dry; lie in wait for etc. (expect) 507; anticipate etc. (foresee) 510; principiis obstare [Lat.]; veniente occurrere morbo [Lat.].    ... show more

Roget 658: improve; be better, become better, get better; mend, amend.    advance etc. (progress) 282; ascend etc. 305; increase etc. 35; fructify, ripen, mature; pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn; turn over a new leaf, turn the corner; raise one's head, sow one's wild oats; recover etc. 660.    be better etc. adj., be improved by; turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account; profit by, reap the benefit of; make good use of, make capital out of; place to good account.    render better, improve, mend, amend, better; ameliorate, meliorate; correct; decrassify^†.    improve upon, refine upon; rectify; enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten.    promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance; bring forward, bring on; foster etc. 707; invigorate etc. (strengthen) 159.    touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up; polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage; prune; repair etc. (restore) 660; put in order etc. (arrange) 60.    review, revise; make corrections, make improvements etc. n.; doctor etc. (remedy) 662; purify, etc. 652.    relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit.    reform, remodel, reorganize; new model.    view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober.    palliate, mitigate; lessen an evil etc. 36.    ... show more

Dutch: uitweiden, verklaren, exponeren, uiteendoen, uiteenzetten

Produce from basic elements or sources; change into a more developed product.

Make more complex, intricate, or richer.

synonyms: complicate, rarify, refine.

Dutch: compliceren

Work out in detail:
— Elaborate a plan.

synonym: work out.

Roget 729: effect, effectuate; accomplish, achieve, compass, consummate, hammer out; bring to maturity, bring to perfection; perfect, complete; elaborate.    do, execute, make; go through, get through; work out, enact; bring about, bring to bear, bring to pass, bring through, bring to a head.    despatch, dispatch; knock off, finish off, polish off; make short work of; dispose of, set at rest; perform, discharge, fulfill, realize; put in practice, put in force; carry out, carry into effect, carry into execution; make good; be as good as one's word.    do thoroughly, not do by halves, go the whole hog; drive home; be in at the death etc. (persevere) 604.1; carry through, play out, exhaust; fill the bill [U.S.].    finish, bring to a close etc. (end) 67; wind up, stamp, clinch, seal, set the seal on, put the seal; give the final touch etc. n.. to; put the last, put the finishing hand to, put the finishing touches on; crown, crown all; cap.    ripen, culminate; come to a head, come to a crisis; come to its end; die a natural death, die of old age; run its course, run one's race; touch the goal, reach the goal, attain the goal; reach etc. (arrive) 292; get in the harvest.    ... show more

Marked by complexity and richness of detail:
— An elaborate lace pattern.

synonym: luxuriant.

Roget 686: laboring etc. v.. laborious, operose^†, elaborate; strained; toilsome, troublesome, wearisome; uphill; herculean, gymnastic, palestric^†.    hard-working, painstaking; strenuous, energetic.    hard at work, on the stretch.    ... show more

Roget 673: preparing etc. v.; in preparation, in course of preparation, in agitation, in embryo, in hand, in train; afoot, afloat; on foot, on the stocks, on the anvil; under consideration etc. (plan) 626; brewing, batching, forthcoming, brooding; in store for, in reserve.    precautionary, provident; preparative, preparatory; provisional, inchoate, under revision; preliminary etc. (precedent) 62.    prepared etc. v.; in readiness; ready, ready to one's band, ready made, ready cut and dried: made to one's hand, handy, on the table; in gear; in working order, in working gear; snug; in practice.    ripe, mature, mellow; pukka^†; practiced etc. (skilled) 698; labored, elaborate, highly-wrought, smelling of the lamp, worked up.    in full feather, in best bib and tucker; in harness, at harness; in the saddle, in arms, in battle array, in war paint; up in arms; armed at all points, armed to the teeth, armed cap a pie; sword in hand; booted and spurred.    in utrumque paratus [Lat.], semper paratus [Lat.]; on the alert etc. (vigilant) 459; at one's post.    ... show more

Developed or executed with care and in minute detail:
— The elaborate register of the inhabitants prevented tax evasion.
— The carefully elaborated theme.

synonyms: detailed, elaborated.

Polish: szczegółowy, gruntowny, solidny