extol the virtues of something
expression · Idiom / expression C2
Plain meaning
to praise the good qualities of something strongly
Exam-register meaning
In exam reading or discussion, this expression signals to praise the good qualities of something strongly rather than a literal meaning.
In context
naturalThe phrase “extol the virtues of something” fitted the situation perfectly.
examIn higher-level reading passages, “extol the virtues of something” may be used to show to praise the good qualities of something strongly.
Common collocations
extol the virtues of somethinguse “extol the virtues of something” in contextthe expression “extol the virtues of something”
Watch out
Do not translate “extol the virtues of something” word-for-word; learn it as a fixed expression and check whether it is suitable for formal writing.