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Definition of illustration noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    illustration

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn//
     
     
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  1. 1[countable] a drawing or picture in a book, magazine, etc., especially one that explains something 50 full-color illustrations
  2. 2[uncountable] the process of illustrating something the art of book illustration
  3. 3[countable, uncountable] a story, an event, or an example that clearly shows the truth about something The statistics are a clear illustration of the point I am trying to make Let me, by way of illustration, quote from one of her poems. Thesaurusexample
    • case
    • instance
    • specimen
    • illustration
    These are all words for a thing or situation that is typical of a particular group or set, and is sometimes used to support an argument.
    • example something such as an object, a fact, or a situation that shows, explains, or supports what you say; a thing that is typical of or represents a particular group or set:Can you give me an example of what you mean?
    • case a particular situation or a situation of a particular type; a situation that relates to a particular person or thing:In some cases people have had to wait several weeks for an appointment.
    • instance (somewhat formal) a particular situation or a situation of a particular type:The report highlights a number of instances of injustice.
    • specimen an example of something, especially an animal or a plant:The aquarium has some interesting specimens of tropical fish.
    • illustration (somewhat formal) a story, an event, or an example that clearly shows the truth about something:The statistics are a clear illustration of the point I am trying to make.
    example or illustration?
    • An illustration is often used to show that something is true. An example is used to help to explain something.
    Patterns
    • a(n) example/case/instance/specimen/illustration of something
    • in a particular case/instance
    • for example/instance
     AWL Collocationsillustrateillustrate verbto explain or make something clear using examples, pictures, or diagrams
    • amply
    • best, nicely
    • clearly, graphically, vividly
    One of the stories in the collection best illustrates Jefferson's feelings about his mother. This model vividly illustrates the impact of one individual's behavior on the spread of disease.
    • importance
    • point, concept, principle, thesis
    • complexity, difficulty
    These statistics illustrate two important points. A simple example will illustrate these concepts.
    • attempt to
    • serve to
    • suffice to
    He attempts to illustrate his argument through detailed discussions. Two examples should suffice to illustrate the scale of the problem.
    • be intended to
    The case studies are intended to illustrate a link between engineering and architecture.illustration nounan example that makes a point or an idea clear
    • striking, vivid
    • classic
    • graphical
    The community development process in Chile offers vivid illustrations of a number of issues raised in this paper.
    • by way of ~
    A number of examples of strikes in different parts of the country are provided by way of illustration.
    • for ~ purposes
    The data are for illustration purposes only.
See illustration in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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