disclose

English

Etymology

From Middle English disclosen, from Middle French desclos, from Old French desclore, itself from Vulgar Latin disclaudere, from Latin dis- + claudere (“to close, shut”) or as a variant of discludo, discludere (cf. disclude). English equivalent dis- +‎ close.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈkləʊz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊz

Verb

disclose (third-person singular simple present discloses, present participle disclosing, simple past and past participle disclosed)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To open up, unfasten.
   • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “(please specify |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. , 3rd edition, London: William Rawley; rinted by J H for William Lee , →OCLC:

     The estrich layeth her eggs under sand, where the heat of the discloseth them.

2. (transitive) To uncover, physically expose to view.

   Synonyms: reveal, unveil

   • 1695, John Woodward, “(please specify the page)”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: , London: Ric Wilkin , →OCLC:

     The shells being broken, […] the stone included in them is thereby disclosed and set at liberty.

   • 1972, Vladimir Nabokov, Transparent Things, McGraw-Hill, published 1972, page 13:

     Its brown curtain was only half drawn, disclosing the elegant legs, clad in transparent black, of a female seated inside.

3. (transitive) To expose to the knowledge of others; to make known, state openly, reveal.

   Synonyms: reveal, unveil, divulge, publish, impart

   • 1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. , London: Bernard Lintott , →OCLC, canto II:

     Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose.

   • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. , London: J Tonson, , published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene iii, page 1:

     If I disclose my passion, / Our friendship's at an end.

Synonyms

• (to expose to the knowledge of others): bring to light, expose, reveal; See also Thesaurus:divulge
• (to make known, state openly): impart, make known, publish; See also Thesaurus:announce

Antonyms

• cover up
• withhold

Derived terms

• discloser

Related terms

• disclosure

Translations

Noun

disclose (plural discloses)

1. (obsolete) A disclosure.