- read
- read1 [ rid ] (past tense and past participle read [ red ] ) verb ***▸ 1 understand words▸ 2 understand symbols▸ 3 interpret meaning▸ 4 know what someone thinks▸ 5 have words/number▸ 6 be written particular way▸ 7 hear someone on radio▸ + PHRASES1. ) intransitive or transitive to look at and understand words in a letter, book, newspaper, etc.:I read a few chapters of a book every night.Here read what his note says for yourself.He was sitting reading in the waiting room.Read on to find out more!read and write: By the age of five, he could read and write.read something from cover to cover (=all of something): I always read the paper from cover to cover.read widely/extensively (=to read a lot of books): She read extensively in science and economics.a ) intransitive or transitive to speak the words you are looking at:read (something) to someone: Reading to young children helps develop their language skills.read someone something: Read me that last sentence again.read (something) aloud/out loud: I'm going to read this poem aloud.read from something: She will be reading from her latest novel.b ) intransitive or transitive to get information from books, newspapers, etc.:read (that): I read somewhere that she was born in Chicago.read something in something: We read it in the local paper.read about: He likes reading about wildlife.c ) transitive used for telling someone about mistakes in printing:for something, read something: On page 61, for three thousand, read three million.read something as something: The figure £600 should be read as $600.2. ) transitive if you can read music, you can understand the written marks that represent musical soundsa ) to look at and understand the information, symbols, or numbers on a map or a piece of measuring equipment:Has the man been here to read the gas meter?b ) if a computer or other piece of electronic equipment reads something, it examines the information on it or copies it to a particular place:The machine at the checkout reads your credit card.3. ) transitive to understand something in a particular way: INTERPRET:They had read the situation extremely accurately.read something as something: We had read their decision as an admission of failure.4. ) transitive to be able to understand what someone is like or what they are thinking:It was difficult to read his expression.read someone's mind: Her next comment surprised me. It was as if she had read my mind.read someone like a book (=know exactly what they are thinking): Don't pretend you're telling the truth I can read you like a book.5. ) transitive if a piece of measuring equipment reads something, it shows a particular number or amount:The thermometer has been reading over 90 degrees all day.a ) if a short piece of writing reads something, it contains those particular words:The label read, Suitable only for children over three.6. ) intransitive if something reads well or badly, you think it has been written well or badly:In general, the script reads beautifully.a ) read like something if a piece of writing reads like something, it has similar qualities or aspects to that thing:The first half of the report reads like one long complaint.7. ) transitive to hear someone who is speaking to you by radio:This is Charlie Alpha Five. Do you read me?read between the linesto guess something that is not expressed directly:I'm reading between the lines, but I think they're both unhappy.read someone's lips1. ) to know what someone is saying by looking at the shapes their lips make when they talk, for example because you are unable to hear2. ) SPOKEN used for telling someone strongly that something has definitely been decided, and will not be changed:Read my lips: You are not going to an all-night party.take something as read MAINLY BRITISHto accept that something is true without needing any more information or proof:You can take it as read that he'll say no.`read for phrasal verb transitiveread for something if an actor reads for a part in a play, movie, etc., they act some of the part in front of the people deciding which actors to choose: AUDITION,read `into phrasal verb transitiveread something into something to find an extra meaning in someone's words or actions that is not obvious or does not exist:I think you're reading too much into a casual remark.,read `out phrasal verb transitiveto say the words you are reading so that people can hear them:He read the list of names out.,read `through phrasal verb transitiveto read all of a document, book, etc. in order to check or correct it:Read the contract through carefully before you sign.,read `up on or ,read `up about phrasal verb transitiveto get information on a particular subject by reading a lot about itreadread 2 [ rid ] noun singularan act of reading something or a period of time spent reading something:She settled herself down for a quiet read.a. a good/exciting/depressing etc read something that is enjoyable/exciting/depressing etc to read
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
