v. Obs. [ad. L. expōn-ĕre to put forth, set forth, display, declare, publish, f. ex- out + pōnere to put, place. Cf. the cognate EXPOUND, also EXPOSE. (Since 16th c. chiefly Sc.; in earlier use perh. sometimes only a graphic variant of expowne EXPOUND.)]
1. trans. To set forth in words, declare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, Machor, 1302 (in Horstmann Alt. Leg. 202). Þat þai … Þe priwete mare opynly Wald expone þaime.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 433. Ensaumple of siche deds exponeþ best Cristis lawe.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 28. Christ … has ratifeit & exponit thame in the new law.
1632. in Row’s Hist. Kirk (1842), p. xl. Whilk day the ministers of Perth expone and shew to the brethren that the town of Perth had made nomination and agreement with a schoolmaster.
[1860. J. Paterson, Life & Poems Dunbar, 306. And here we have him exponing the salutary change which age had effected upon himself, in withdrawing his affections from the things of the world to those of heaven.]
b. To set forth the character of; to represent, characterize.
1663. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1792), II. 200. Taking them [the people of Aberdeen] to be worse exponed than they were indeed.
2. To expound, explain, interpret.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxiii. 272 (Harl. MS.). They … praide him that he wolde declare and expone the versys to hem.
1549. Compl. Scot., x. 83. The inglismen exponis the prophesye of merlyne to there auen affectione, as the iueis exponit the prophesie of cayphas.
1640. R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., 112. His oath and promise at his coronation to keep the laws, is to be exponed of his resolution to make his laws to be keeped by others.
1676. W. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiog., xii. (1848), 464. They exponed Scripture and prayed.
3. To put forth (effort); lay out, expend (money).
1527. Burgh Rec. Aberd. (Spalding Club 1844), I. 118. The mony and proffeit of the said land … nocht to be exponit in vothir vssis.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), II. 299. The King … hath been always contented … to expone all his study, labour … treasure [etc.] … for the Pope’s aid.
4. To expose (a person or thing to danger, etc.).
1564. Haward, Eutropius, To Rdr. 1. They exponed themselves … to no smal daungers.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref. (1586), 98. They lying without trench or gabion, were exponed to the force of the whole ordinaunce of the sayd castle.
a. 1651. Calderwood, Hist. Kirk (1843), II. 48. If he so did, he sould … expone religioun to the uttermost danger.
