elaborate (v.) Copy link Outline 1. ēlăbōro, 1 (to work out fully2. expŏlio, 4 (to finish highly) • elaborate (v.): 1. ēlăbōro, 1 (to work out fully: rare except in p. part.): v. TO WORK OUT. 2. expŏlio, 4 (to finish highly): to e. an oration, orationem ex., Quint.: v. to polish. Phr.: to e. a poem by repeated corrections to a nicety, carmen perfectum decies castigare ad unguem, Hor. A. P. 294 = carmen iterum atque iterum corrigere donec perfectum reddatur.