explain to

explain (someone or something) to (one)

To attempt to improve one's understanding of someone or something through explanation. Please explain Claire to me because I can't understand some of the wacky things she's done. Can you explain this chapter to me? I just don't get it.
See also: explain
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

explain someone or something to someone

to give information or instruction about someone or something to someone. Please explain it to me. Can you explain Andrew to me?
See also: explain
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • explain (someone or something) to (one)
  • expound
  • expound (up)on (someone or something)
  • expound (up)on (someone or something) to (someone or something)
  • (one's) day in court
  • head for
  • head for (someone or something)
  • headed for
  • at (one's) doorstep
  • at doorstep
References in classic literature
I will explain to the sentries that Mohammed Beyd has ordered me to take your body into the jungle.
They took advantage of this fact to explain to them that this distance was obtained by measuring the parallax of the moon.
I've had gun dealers from New Jersey try to explain to me what they face in doing business in the state.
Explain to them why it's important to keep poachers out of the park.
A thorough, at times didactic examination especially useful to librarians, records managers, archivists and information professionals who need to both better understand their profession and be able to skillfully explain to the accountants precisely why archives and archivists are vital part of any organizations budget.
"We try to explain to them prior [to negotiating] that it's a different process," says Joseph, the Ohio union representative.
While I tried to be brief and to the point with my explanation, as usual, I made a mountain out of a molehill and began to explain to her the art and science of metalcasting.
"We also are very careful to fully explain to the expatriate's company what is standard for rental contracts in Japan; as contract terms in Japan can be quite different from those in other countries.
I wonder what these books would be like if, instead of trying to teach the "other" about the merits of his own tradition, each writer had, instead, tried to explain to his co-religionists what is beautiful and compelling about the other faith.
The scheme involved volumes of thick contracts, letters of intent, secrecy clauses, and a host of other financial terms that the investor really never understood and could not explain to the detective.
While many people in business have character and principles, not all of them can effectively explain to others why business ethics is a required consideration.