1.explanation的意思是“解释,说明”,既可作可数名词,又可作不可数名词,用作可数名词时,可用复数形式表示不同的种类。
2.explanation也可表示“能说明某事缘由的言语、事实、情况等”,是可数名词。

by way of explanation
作为说明 as explaining
I had better say a few words by way of explanation.我最好以解释的方式说几句话。

come to an explanation with
与…商谈以消除误会 have a talk in order to avoid misunderstanding
They came to an explanation with each other.他们达成了相互谅解。

in explanation of
对…进行解释,为…辩解 explaining for sb/sth
What did he say in explanation of his lateness?他说了些什么来为自己的迟到辩解呢?
He said, in explanation of his remarks, that the newspapers hadn't quoted him fully.他为自己的讲话辩解说,报纸对他的话断章取义了。

Is that explanation clear to you?那个解释你清楚吗?
Such a simple explanation never occurred to me!我从未想到如此简单的解释。
The explanation you give is beyond me.我听不懂你的解释。
There is an alternative explanation to the theory.对于这个理论还有一种解释。
There are two explanations of this passage.对这段有两种解释。
We accepted her explanation.我们接受了她的解释。
We had an explanation and agreed to quarrel no more.我们进行了交谈,同意不再争吵。
You will find the explanation in the encyclopedia.你可在百科全书中找到解释。
For long we have been unable to find an explanation of the mystery, but at last I think we are on the track of it.很长时间我们都无法解释这一奥秘,但是我想我们最后掌握线索了。
I caught hold of the idea only after much explanation on his part.经他多方解释我才了解了这个意思。
He gave no explanation for his absence.他没对自己的缺席做任何解释。
I demand an explanation for your rude intrusion upon my privacy.我要求你对于无礼地侵扰我的私人生活的行为作出解释。
She did not continue with her explanation.她没有继续解释下去。
I'm quite satisfied with your explanation, so there's no need to expand on it. 我对你的解释很满意,没有必要再细说了。
That's not an adequate explanation.这并不足以说明问题。
There is more than one possible explanation.可能作出的解释不止一个。
His explanations are always difficult to believe.他的说法总是很难令人相信。
▲～+that-clause
His explanation that he had been held up the traffic didn't seem very plausible.他解释说因交通受阻,这好像不大讲得通。

你还有为你的行为辩解的吗?
［误］  Do you still have anything to say in explanation for your conduct?
［正］  Do you still have anything to say in explanation of your conduct?
［析］  in explanation of表示“对…进行解释,为…辩解”,其中介词of不能换成for。

［词源］  ＜拉丁语explanare(明白清楚地讲出)