a. and sb. [ad. L. expositīv-us, f. exposit- ppl. stem of expōnĕre: see EXPONE and -IVE.]
A. adj. a. Tending to set forth or describe in detail; descriptive. b. Serving to explain; explanatory, expository. Const. of.
1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale, 38. Usyng thys particle Et in englyssh as myche to saye And expositiue.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xxiv. 4. A man may gather it by the percell expositiue whiche is added streight after.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 378/2. Expositive terms.
1659. Pearson, Creed, 466. The opinion … is to be rejected, as not expositive of the Creeds confession.
1846. Worcester, Expositive, explanatory.
1884. Christian World, 24 April, 304/2. The book … may be briefly described as … hortatory and expositive.
† B. sb. An explanation, ‘argument.’ Obs.
1687. Burnet, Contn. Reply to Varillas, 43. He cites on the Margin the expositive or Preamble of it.
Hence † Expositively adv., in an expositive manner or sense; by way of exposition or gloss.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xxxiv. 9. The particle [Chi] is taken expositiuely.
1631. J. Burges, Answ. Rejoined, 82. Unless wee may take … and, the copulatiue, expositiuely, as if it signified that is to say.
1656. Jeanes, Fuln. Christ, 170. Interpreters thinke this clause to be added appositivè, or expositively, to explaine what is meant by Philosophy.
