01 v. t. To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to unders…
imp. & p. p.
Understood; p. pr. & vb. n.
Understanding
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1.
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.Archaic“Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray, That we may understande what ye say.” — Chaucer.“I understand not what you mean by this.” — Shak.“Understood not all was but a show.” — Milton.“A tongue not understanded of the people.” — Bk. of Com. Prayer.
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2.
To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill.
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3.
To recognize or hold as being or signifying; to suppose to mean; to interpret; to explain.“The most learned interpreters understood the words of sin, and not of Abel.” — Locke.
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4.
To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume.“War, then, war, Open or understood, must be resolved.” — Milton.
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5.
To stand under; to support.[Jocose & R.]
Phrases & compounds
To give one to understand —
to cause one to know.
To make one's self understood —
to make one's meaning clear.