understand

understand
un|der|stand [ ,ʌndər`stænd ] (past tense and past participle un|der|stood [ ,ʌndər`stud ] ) verb never progressive ***
▸ 1 know what someone/something means
▸ 2 know reasons/effects
▸ 3 know how someone feels
▸ 4 have heard/read something
▸ 5 in linguistics
▸ + PHRASES
1. ) intransitive or transitive to know what someone or something means: COMPREHEND:
If you don't understand, just put your hand up.
The instructions were difficult to understand.
I don't understand a word you're saying.
understand what/where/whether etc.: I don't quite understand where you want me to put it.
a ) to know what something spoken or written in a particular language means:
I'm sorry, I don't understand French.
2. ) intransitive or transitive to know how or why something happens, or what effect or influence something has: REALIZE:
Do they fully understand the implications of their decision?
understand how/why/what etc.: We are only beginning to understand how the brain functions.
3. ) intransitive or transitive to know how someone feels or why someone does something, as a result of experience or by imagining what it must be like to be them:
He says his wife doesn't understand him.
I understand your concern, but the operation is completely safe.
understand how/why/what: Does she understand why he doesn't want to see her?
understand someone/someone's doing something: I can understand his not inviting Joan and Graham (=understand why he does not invite them).
4. ) transitive FORMAL to believe that something is true because you have heard or read it somewhere:
understand that: We understand that a major announcement is to be made tomorrow.
be understood to do something: Mr. Lang is understood to favor more traditional teaching methods.
5. ) transitive usually passive LINGUISTICS to recognize that a word or phrase is missing in a sentence and that you have to imagine that it is there:
The object of the verb is understood with words such as to smoke and to read.
be understood
to be agreed without having to be discussed:
be understood that: I thought it was understood that you were going to help.
(do you) understand? SPOKEN
used for emphasizing that someone should do what you are telling them:
Don't ever try that again! Do you understand?
give someone to understand (that) FORMAL
to tell someone something, or to make them think that something is true:
She's been asking to see you, or so I've been given to understand.
(is that) understood? SPOKEN
used for emphasizing, especially in a threatening way, that someone should do what you are telling them:
No one is to leave before five. Is that understood?
make yourself understood
to know enough of another language to be able to deal with ordinary situations

Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.

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Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • understand — understand, comprehend, appreciate mean to have a clear idea or conception or full and exact knowledge of something. Understand and comprehend both imply an obtaining of a mental grasp of something and in much of their use are freely… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Understand — Un der*stand ([u^]n d[ e]r*st[a^]nd ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Understood} (([u^]n d[ e]r*st[oo^]d ),), and Archaic {Understanded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Understanding}.] [OE. understanden, AS. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. AS. forstandan… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understand — [un΄dər stand′] vt. understood, understanding [ME understanden < OE understandan, lit., to stand among, hence observe, understand] 1. to get or perceive the meaning of; know or grasp what is meant by; comprehend [to understand a question] 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • Understand — is a commercial static code analysis software tool produced by SciTools. It is primarily used to reverse engineer, automatically document, and calculate code metrics for projects with large code bases.Understand works through an IDE designed to… …   Wikipedia

  • Understand — Un der*stand , v. i. 1. To have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being. [1913 Webster] Imparadised in you, in whom alone I understand, and grow, and see. Donne. [1913 Webster] 2. To be informed; to have or receive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understand — (v.) O.E. understandan comprehend, grasp the idea of, probably lit. stand in the midst of, from under + standan to stand (see STAND (Cf. stand)). If this is the meaning, the under is not the usual word meaning beneath, but from O.E. under, from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • understand — [v1] appreciate, comprehend accept, apprehend, be aware, be conscious of, be with it*, catch, catch on, conceive, deduce, discern, distinguish, explain, fathom, figure out, find out, follow, get*, get the hang of*, get the idea*, get the picture* …   New thesaurus

  • understand — I verb absorb, apperceive, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, be apprised, be informed, cognize, comprehend, conceive, conclude, conjecture, deduce, digest, discern, fathom, gather, glean, grasp, infer, intellegere, internalize, know, learn,… …   Law dictionary

  • understand by — index construe (comprehend) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • understand — ► VERB (past and past part. understood) 1) perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker). 2) perceive the significance, explanation, or cause of. 3) interpret or view in a particular way. 4) infer from information received.… …   English terms dictionary

  • understand */*/*/ — UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstænd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstænd] verb [never progressive] Word forms understand : present tense I/you/we/they understand he/she/it understands present participle understanding past tense understood UK [ˌʌndə(r)ˈstʊd] / US [ˌʌndərˈstʊd]… …   English dictionary

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