understand
UK /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ · US /ˌʌndɚˈstænd/ verb, interjection
Forms understands understanding understood understanded understandest understoodest understandeth understaund unduhstand unnuhstand
- verb (transitive, intransitive, of communication or means of communication: words, statements, signs, etc.) To know the meaning of; to parse or have parsed correctly; to comprehend. “Can you repeat what you just said? I didn't understand.”
- verb (transitive, generally) To know the meaning of.
- verb (transitive, of a skill, task, profession, etc.) To be thoroughly familiar with; to be able to undertake properly. “The students understood the assignment.”
- verb (transitive, usually with clause as object) To comprehend a fact or principle; to regard or come to regard a belief as such. “I understand that company policy says I can't get a refund, but can you make an exception?”
- verb (transitive, of people) To know the intent, motives or character of; (of events) to know the causes of or reasons for. “One day you say you love me, the next you ignore me—I don't understand you!”
- verb (transitive) To believe or infer, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge. “I've been given to understand that you have a package for me?”
- verb (transitive, grammar) To regard as present when not. “In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.”
- verb (humorous, rare, obsolete outside circus, acrobatics) To stand underneath, to support.
- interjection (Singapore, Malaysia, backchanneling) Uh-huh, I see; a way to acknowledge something said by the other speaker.
Synonyms
believe apprehend comprehend grasp know perceive pick up what someone is putting down realise get compass conceive discern grok realize see read interpret translate infer sympathize sympathise empathize empathise
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English understanden, from Old English understandan (“to understand”), from Proto-West Germanic *understandan (“to stand between, understand”), from Proto-Germanic *understandaną (“to stand between, understand”), equivalent to Old English under- (“between, inter-”) + standan (“to stand”) (Modern English under- + stand). Cognate with Old Frisian understonda (“to understand, experience, learn”), Old High German understantan (“to understand”), Middle Danish understande (“to understand”). Compare also Saterland Frisian understunda, unnerstounde (“to dare, survey, measure”), Dutch onderstaan (“to undertake, presume”), German unterstehen (“to be subordinate”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink.
- verb To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill.
- verb To have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being.
- verb To be informed; to have or receive knowledge.
Etymology [OE. understanden, AS. understandan, literally, to stand under; cf. AS. forstandan to understand, G. verstehen. The development of sense is not clear. See Under, and Stand.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “understand”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details