transpire

American  

[tran-spahyuhr] / trænˈspaɪər /

verb (used without object)

transpired, transpiring

1. to occur; happen; take place.

2. to emit or give off waste matter, watery vapor, etc., through the surface, as of the body or of leaves.

3. to escape, as moisture or odor, through or as if through pores.

4. to be revealed or become known.

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verb (used with object)

transpired, transpiring

1. to emit or give off (waste matter, watery vapor, an odor, etc.) through the surface, as of the body or of leaves.

transpire British  

/ ˌtrænspəˈreɪʃən, trænˈspaɪə /

verb

1. (intr) to come to light; be known

2. informal (intr) to happen or occur

3. physiol to give off or exhale (water or vapour) through the skin, a mucous membrane, etc

4. (of plants) to lose (water in the form of water vapour), esp through the stomata of the leaves

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Usage

It is often maintained that transpire should not be used to mean happen or occur, as in the event transpired late in the evening , and that the word is properly used to mean become known, as in it transpired later that the thief had been caught . The word is, however, widely used in the former sense, esp in spoken English

Other Word Forms

• transpirable
  adjective
• transpiration
  noun
• transpiratory
  adjective
• untranspiring
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of transpire

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French transpirer, from Medieval Latin trānspīrāre, equivalent to Latin trāns- trans- + spīrāre “to breathe”

Explanation

Transpire is a fancy way of saying "happen." You might go to a fortune teller to find out what will transpire in the future. Originally used to express when information became known or came to light, many purists will tell you that's really the best way to use transpire. It can also mean releasing vapor into the air, like when a plant transpires water through its leaves on a hot day. Note: you'll usually encounter this word in its past tense: for example, "We had to watch the replay to figure out what had transpired."

Example Sentences

Beryl Atkins of Transpire Cosmetic Surgery, the group behind the London event, say they "never operate on anyone straight away".

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2011

Transpire may properly be applied to such a diffusion of knowledge.

From Composition-Rhetoric by Brooks, Stratton D.

Transpire, happen.—To transpire means properly "to escape from secrecy to notice," "to leak out;" it should not be used in the sense of to happen.

From Practical Exercises in English by Buehler, Huber Gray

Transpire does not mean to take place but to leak out, as, They tried to keep their deliberations secret, but it transpired that * * * Enthuse is not a good word.

From The Style Book of The Detroit News by News, The Detroit

Related Words

• arise
• befall
• ensue