understand Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
    • She did not understand her husband
    • I understand what she means
  2. verb perceive (an idea or situation) mentally
    see; realize; realise.
    • Now I see!
    • I just can't see your point
    • Does she realize how important this decision is?
    • I don't understand the idea
  3. verb make sense of a language
    read; translate; interpret.
    • She understands French
    • Can you read Greek?
  4. verb believe to be the case
    infer.
    • I understand you have no previous experience?
  5. verb be understanding of
    empathise; sympathize; empathize; sympathise.
    • You don't need to explain--I understand!

WordNet

Un`der*stand" transitive verb
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Understood and archaic Understanded; present participle & verbal noun Understanding
Definitions
  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.
    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.
  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.
  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.
  4. To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume.
    War, then, war, Open or understood, must be resolved. Milton.
  5. To stand under; to support. Jocose & R. Shak.
Un`der*stand" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being.
    Imparadised in you, in whom alone I understand, and grow, and see. Donne.
  2. To be informed; to have or receive knowledge.
    I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah. Neh. xiii. 7.

Webster 1913