verb

make (an idea or situation) clear to someone by describing it in more detail or revealing relevant facts.

they explained that their lives centred on the religious rituals

describe,give an explanation of,make clear/plain/intelligible,spell out,put into words,express in words,elucidate,expound,explicate,delineate,clarify,unfold,throw light on,clear up,simplify,gloss,interpret,decipher,decode,translate,demonstrate,show,teach,illustrate,unravel,untangle,resolve,solve,get across,get over