clarification

Everyday

1. An explanation that makes something clearer or easier to understand. tree →
2. (science, cooking) Making a liquid clear by removing bits from it (clarifying butter or water). tree →

In the lessons

In class you can «ask for clarification» when you don't understand the instructions — it is a polite way to say «Could you explain that again?». In news, an official may give a clarification after a confusing statement. It tells the reader something unclear is being made clear. Phrases: «ask for clarification», «for clarification», «seek clarification».

Examples

• Can I ask for some clarification about the homework? tree →
• The teacher gave a quick clarification of the rules. tree →
• For clarification, the trip is on Friday, not Thursday. tree →
• The company issued a clarification after the mistake. tree →
• The question needed clarification before we could answer it. tree →
• Clarification of butter removes the milky bits. tree →

Note

From the verb «clarify» (y changes to i: clarification). Usually uncountable, but «a clarification» is fine for one statement. Asking for clarification is a smart thing to do, not a sign of being slow.