expose

¹

[ ik-spohz ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·posed, ex·pos·ing.

1. to lay open to danger, attack, harm, etc.:

   to expose soldiers to gunfire;

   to expose one's character to attack.

   Synonyms: jeopardize, imperil, endanger, subject

2. to lay open to something specified:

   to expose oneself to the influence of bad companions.

   Antonyms: shield, protect

3. to uncover or bare to the air, cold, etc.:

   to expose one's head to the rain.

4. to present to view; exhibit; display:

   The storekeeper exposed his wares.

5. to make known, disclose, or reveal (intentions, secrets, etc.).

   Synonyms: betray, unveil, uncover

   Antonyms: hide, conceal

6. to reveal or unmask (a crime, fraud, impostor, etc.):

   to expose a swindler.

7. to hold up to public reprehension or ridicule (fault, folly, a foolish act or person, etc.).
8. to desert in an unsheltered or open place; abandon, as a child.
9. to subject, as to the action of something:

   to expose a photographic plate to light.

exposé

²

[ ek-spoh-zey ]

noun

1. a public exposure or revelation, as of something discreditable:

   Certain cheap magazines make a fortune out of sensational exposés.

exposé

¹

/ ɛksˈpəʊzeɪ /

noun

1. the act or an instance of bringing a scandal, crime, etc, to public notice
2. an article, book, or statement that discloses a scandal, crime, etc

expose

²

/ ɪkˈspəʊz /

verb

1. to display for viewing; exhibit
2. to bring to public notice; disclose; reveal

   to expose the facts

3. to divulge the identity of; unmask
4. foll by to to make subject or susceptible (to attack, criticism, etc)
5. to abandon (a child, animal, etc) in the open to die
6. foll by to to introduce (to) or acquaint (with)

   he was exposed to the classics at an early age

7. photog to subject (a photographic film or plate) to light, X-rays, or some other type of actinic radiation
8. RC Church to exhibit (the consecrated Eucharistic Host or a relic) for public veneration
9. expose oneself
   to display one's sexual organs in public

Derived Forms

• exˈposal, noun
• exˈposer, noun
• exˈposable, adjective

Other Words From

• ex·posa·ble adjective
• ex·posa·bili·ty noun
• ex·poser noun
• self-ex·posing adjective
• unex·posa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expose¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English exposen, from Old French exposer, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + poser “to put” ( pose ¹ ), replacing Latin expōnere “to put out, expose, set forth in words”; expound

Origin of expose²

First recorded in 1795–1805; from French, noun use of past participle of exposer expose

Word History and Origins

Origin of expose¹

C15: from Old French exposer, from Latin expōnere to set out; see exponent

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. expose oneself, to exhibit one's body, especially one's genitals, publicly in an immodest or exhibitionistic manner.

Example Sentences

Residential properties exposed to flood risk are overwhelmingly overvalued, especially in coastal areas, the researchers warn, as property price discounts do not compensate for the additional insurance costs payable.

From Science Daily

A DfE spokesman said Panorama had "exposed how these young people were let down by those who should have been keeping them safe".

From BBC

But as he bent down to stuff bills from a haul of more than $166,000 into bags, his hoodie rode up — exposing a star tattoo on his lower back.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s the poorest among us, and people in rural regions, who are often more exposed to environmental pollution,” says toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, who led the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences until 2019.

From Science Magazine

When exposed to bright white light -- essentially the light of a sunny afternoon -- the cell's chloroplast shrunk to a ball, reducing its size by about 40% within five minutes.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• bare
• bring to light
• disclose
• display
• open
• prove
• uncover
• unmask