To praise someone or something highly and publicly; to speak with great approval and admiration.
From Old French 'extolir,' potentially from Latin 'extollere' (ex- 'out' + tollere 'to lift'), literally meaning to raise up or elevate. This variant spelling of 'extol' was common in historical English texts.
The verb 'extoll' (and its variants) comes from the literal idea of 'lifting something up high'—when you extoll someone, you're metaphorically lifting them up for everyone to see and admire, which is why the word feels grand and elevating.
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